A Comparison of the Effect of Vitrification on the Morphology of Stimulated and Non-stimulated Human Ovaries

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitrification on the morphology of human ovarian tissue in a stimulated group compared to a non-stimulated group. Methods: Ovarian cortex biopsies collected from stimulated and non-stimulated groups were transported to the laboratory in L-۱۵ medium. Biopsies were cut into small pieces and divided randomly into the vitrified and non-vitrified subgroups. The vitrified-warmed and fresh samples were fixed using Bouin’s solution, then passaged, sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome. The follicles at different developmental stages were counted and evaluated. Results: Morphological observations showed that the follicles and stromal tissue had well preserved normal structures after vitrification and warming. The percentage of normal follicles in the non-stimulated non-vitrified group was ۸۹.۲۲%; for the non-stimulated vitrified group, it was ۸۴.۶۰%. In previous groups the proportion of primordial follicles were ۶۸.۷ ± ۱.۶۰% and ۶۷.۸۰ ± ۳.۷۱%, primary follicles were ۲۸.۶۰ ± ۱.۷۲% and ۲۹.۴۰ ± ۳.۵۱%, and secondary follicles were ۳.۶۰ ± ۰.۶۶% and ۲.۷۰ ± ۱.۲۰%, respectively. The percentage of normal follicles in the stimulated non-vitrified group was ۸۸.۱۸%; for the stimulated vitrified group, it was ۸۴.۱۹%. In stimulated non-vitrified and stimulated vitrified groups the proportion of primordial follicles were ۴۹.۷۰ ± ۴.۱۳% and ۴۹.۳۴ ± ۲.۸۶%, primary follicles were ۴۴.۵۰ ± ۳.۸۳% and ۴۴.۷۲ ± ۲.۶۸%, and secondary follicles were ۵.۶۰ ± ۰.۷۲% and ۵.۹۱ ± ۰.۷۷%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the vitrified and non-vitrified and stimulated and non-stimulated groups. Conclusion: Vitrification had no harmful effect on the morphology of stimulated human ovarian tissue and stroma and ovarain tissue structure was similar to the non-stimulated group. This method could be a good alternative for fertility preservation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Vitrification ، Human ovary ، Ovarian stimulation ، تخمدان انسانی ، تحریک تخمک گذاری ، انجماد شیشه ای