Comparison of Different Vitrification Procedures on Developmental Competence of Mouse Germinal Vesicle Oocytes in the Presence or Absence of Cumulus Cells

Background An evaluation of the developmental competence of vitrified mouse germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes with various equilibration and vitrification times; in the presence or absence of cumulus cells and by comparison between the cryotop method and straws was performed. MaterialsAndMethods Mouse GV oocytes were considered in cumulus-denuded oocytes (CDOs) and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) groups. Their survival and developmental rates were studied in the following experiments: (I) exposure to different equilibration times (0, 3 and 5 minutes) and vitrification (1, 3 and 5 minutes) without plunging in LN2 as toxicity tests, (II) oocytes were vitrified using straws followed by exposure to equilibration solution for 0, 3 and 5 minutes and vitrification solution for 1 and 3 minutes, and (III) oocytes were vitrified by cryotop following exposure to equilibration for 5 minutes and vitrification for 1 minute, respectively. Results Maturation and developmental rates of the COCs were higher than CDOs in the nonvitrified group (p