The Effect of Ovarian Encapsulation on Morphology and Follicular Count of Vitrified Mouse Ovary

Background: Ovarian cryopreservation before chemotherapycan restore fertility to women with cancer and premature ovarianfailure. Maintaining of follicular reserve is mandatory aftercryopreserved ovarian tissue. The purpose of this study was todetermine the influence of alginate hydrogel as an ovarian scaffoldon morphology and follicular count of vitrified mouse ovary.Materials and Methods: This experimental study was carried out on ۸ weeks old female mice (NMRI). After removing theovaries in the diestrus phase, they were divided in three groups:non vitrified ovaries (A), vitrified ovaries (B) and vitrified ovariesthat has been encapsulated in alginate hydrogel with a concentrationof ۰.۷۵% (C). Ovaries were vitrified according to thekagawa method and placed on cryotop before plunging in liquidnitrogen. After ۲۰ minutes, warming was done. Follicular preservationwas assessed histologically using hematoxylin and eosinstaining and number of follicles compared in three groups.Data were compared by one-way ANOVA. Values of P<۰.۰۵were considered statistically significant.Results: The total number of follicles in all groups was notsignificantly different. The number of atretic follicles in nonvitrifiedgroup was significantly lower than vitrified and encapsulatedvitrified groups (P<۰.۰۵) but there were no significantdifferences between B and C groups. Most of the atretic follicleswere found in secondary follicles in all groups.Conclusion: The ovarian encapsulation in alginate hydrogelwith a concentration of ۰.۷۵% before vitrification, could notimprove follicular preservation. However, further studies withdifferent concentrations of alginate hydrogel are needed to determinethe effectiveness of alginate hydrogel to reduce the adverseeffects of vitrification.

کلیدواژه ها:

Vitrification ، Alginate Hydrogel ، Ovary ، Mouse