the impact of alpha lipoic acid on developmental competence of mouse vitrified pre-antral follicles in comparison to those isolated from vitrified ovaries

background:   objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro developmental competence of mouse vitrified pre-antral follicles in comparison to isolated pre-antral follicles derived from vitrified ovaries in the presence of alpha lipoic acid (ala).   materials and methods: pre-antral follicles derived from fresh, vitrified-warmed ovarian tissues and vitrified–warmed pre-antral follicles were cultured individually with or without ala, followed by adding hcg to induce ovulation. the follicle growth, oocyte maturation, and embryo development were assessed. results: the diameter and development of follicles, oocyte maturation and embryo development rates were significantly higher in ala supplemented groups compared to the respective ala-free conditions groups. aforementioned parameters were significantly higher in vitrified-warmed follicles in comparison to follicles derived from vitrified-warmed ovaries. conclusion: these findings support a superior performance of pre-antral follicles when vitrified rather than when isolated from vitrified ovaries with regard to increasing the rates of developmental parameters. moreover, ala improves the in vitro maturation of pre-antral follicles in vitrified and non-vitrified samples. cryopreservation of ovarian tissues and pre-antral follicles is a promising prospect for preservation of women fertility.