Xenogenous and in vitro fertilization of frozen/thawed primate oocytes and blastomere separation of embryos

Abstract

Little research has been done on the in vitro and xenogenous fertilization of cryopreserved primate oocytes. This study reports the development of freezing and thawing methods for squirrel monkey oocytes with subsequent successful fertilization by these two methods. Preliminary results on techniques for blastomere separation using the hamster and squirrel monkey as models are also given. These studies have important implications relative to the long-term frozen storage of human oocytes, their subsequent thawing, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, and the use of the blastomere separation procedure, in conjunction with in vitro fertilization, in the diagnosis of embryonic normality and possible congenital defects prior to implantation.