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Cryopreserved ovarian tissues can maintain a long-term function after heterotopic autotransplantation in rat

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China¹ Laboratory Animal Center of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China² Department of Pathology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China

Correspondence should be addressed to X Deng; Email: dxh122{at}yahoo.cn

The functional longevity of cryopreserved ovarian grafts is one of the most challenging questions regarding ovarian transplantation at present. This study used a rat ovarian grafting model to investigate whether ovarian tissues from adult rats, which had been cryopreserved by vitrification and followed by heterotopic transplantation, could establish long-term hormone secretion and follicle development. Fresh and cryopreserved ovarian tissues were autologously transplanted under the kidney capsule. One-third of the animals in each group (sham-operated, fresh autografts, cryopreserved autografts, or castrated) were killed 5, 8, or 10 months after transplantation. Vaginal cytology, serum estradiol (E₂), progesterone, and the morphology of the reproductive tract were used to assess ovarian function. Both fresh and cryopreserved ovarian grafts survived well in all the animal models with comparable proportion of follicles at each stage of folliculogenesis at all three time points. The serum E₂ and progesterone concentrations in the groups with fresh or cryopreserved grafts remained comparable with those in sham-operated controls at all investigated time points. However, a loss of grafts and primordial follicles following heterotopic transplantation was noted. In conclusion, the heterotopic autotransplantation of vitrified ovarian tissues from adult rat without vascular anastomosis can maintain long-term ovarian function and exert endocrine function in target organs, in spite of the reduction in follicle pool.