Page 55 - PCC11

Vitrification
 Physical process wherein solidification of a liquid solution occurs to form a glass-like vitreous state not by the ice formation but by extreme elevation in viscosity during the process of cooling.
 Vitrification is the direct conversion of a liquid state into glass , by passing or rapidly passing through the critical temperature of ice formation
 Two ways :
 To increase the speed of temperature conduction  To increase the concentration of cryoprotectant
Vitrification of spermatozoa
 First trials with vitrification of spermatozoa of different kind of animals, including humans : survival was very low (Hoagland et al.1942 and Smith, 1961)
 Investigation stopped for +/- 20 years
 Fundamental work of Rall and Fahy (1985)
• Vitrification of mouse embryos by high CPA concentrations and relatively low cooling and warming rates
 The main approach for vitrification of spermatozoa is the same as used for other types of mammalian cells
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PRECONGRESS COURSE 11 I BARCELONA, SPAIN – 1 JULY 2018 55