Authors
Kelin Song, Li Wang, Feng Yang, Hongqian Zhu, Qiuyu Meng, Xuelei Han, Ruimin Qiao, Jun Bai, Shuangbao Gun, Tong Yu, Xinjian Li
Published in
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI. Volume 16. Issue 9. May 03, 2026. Epub May 03, 2026.
Abstract
With the continuous advancement in reproductive biology, oocyte vitrification has become a critical technology for preserving female germplasm and protecting it from environmental disruptions. This technique also eliminates temporal and spatial constraints in animal embryo engineering research. However, during the vitrification of animal oocytes, exposure to low temperatures and high concentrations of cryoprotectants can cause various forms of damage, including cytoskeletal disruption, spindle abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress and epigenetic modifications. These issues are now understood to severely restrict the subsequent developmental competence of oocytes, resulting in lower cleavage and blastocyst formation rates than those of fresh oocytes. Currently, the mechanisms of cryodamage in vitrified oocytes remain poorly understood, and standardized strategies to enhance vitrification efficiency have yet to be firmly established. This review provides a formal overview of the physiological factors underlying oocyte sensitivity to vitrification, alongside the mechanisms of cryodamage and the variables influencing post-thaw survival and reproductive success. It evaluates strategies for mitigating vitrification-induced stress, compares interspecies differences, and addresses current research limitations. By identifying future directions, this review offers new insights for optimizing mammalian oocyte cryopreservation techniques.
PMID:
42121825
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Sep 2026.
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