Vitrification Method Boosts Viability of Porcine Oocytes for Improved Fertility.
Porcine oocytes were frozen using a step-wise method with cryoprotectants and then thawed for maturation, fertilization, and culture. Oocytes frozen using the two-step method had higher survival rates and better development into blastocysts compared to the non-preequilibrium method. The two-step method resulted in 49.7% of oocytes reaching the metaphase-Ⅱ stage and 14.8% developing into blastocysts. The non-vitrified control group had higher rates of maturation and blastocyst development than the vitrified groups. This study suggests that using a two-step method for vitrification of porcine oocytes may be better for maintaining viability and producing blastocysts.