Sperm, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation
The assisted reproduction unit has a laboratory with extensive equipment with which to perform basic assisted reproduction techniques, including the extraction of gametes (egg and sperm), the extraction of embryos, the analysis of sperm, the vitrification and devitrification of gametes and embryos obtained by in vitro fertilization, IVF and ICSI. Because we work mainly with a murine animal model, obtaining gametes, both oocytes and spermatozoa, is easy and allows us to obtain a large number of gametes, since we have this animal species in the animal facility service of the centre itself, making it easy to access, to this animal model, as well as the large number of gametes that we obtain allows us to create a germplasm biobank, in addition to embryos, which we vitrify and cryopreserve and that can be used and requested by companies for their studies.
Customer benefits
Because our laboratory is one of the few that does research in assisted reproduction with animal models and has all this equipment, in addition to a bank of gametes and cryopreserved embryos, human reproduction clinics that wish to carry out tests with culture methods for oocytes or embryos, they can only be done with animal species, so our laboratory is suitable for this. In addition, the studies can also be carried out under regulatory requirements, since the institution that carries them out is certified in Good Laboratory Practices.
In this way, preclinical studies can be carried out in animal models in compliance with the strict guidelines of the regulatory agencies, ensuring the reliability and traceability of all the results and tests carried out in its different services.
Target customer
This unit can provide services to all those companies that want to carry out studies of in vitro fertilization and viability of embryo culture media. Furthermore, as we have a bank of cryopreserved mouse oocytes and embryos, any company that needs to have a large number of these gametes and embryos can benefit from this service.
Additional information
- Comparative pilot study of surgical activation vs application of platelet-rich plasma on ovarian function in an ovine animal model. P33. S Sánchez-Mateos, F Fabregues, E Párraga-Ros, I S Alvarez, J A Domínguez, M Méndez, J Ferreri, F M Sánchez Margallo.
British Journal of Surgery, Volume 111, Issue Supplement_1, February 2024, znae018.033, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znae018.033 - Optimizations of an ovum pick up protocol in Donkey.
Abstract publicado en la revista: Anim Reprod. 2022;19(2 spe):e22177
https://www.animal-reproduction.org/journal/animreprod/article/62fe8d1fa9539502764c9db4 - Supplementation of culture medium with quercetin improves mouse blastocyst quality and increases the expression of HIF-1α protein Hernández, Nuria; Sánchez-Mateos, Soledad; López-Morató, Marta; Sánchez-Margallo, Francisco; Álvarez, Ignacio.
Zygote, 2023 Feb 27:1-12. https://doi:10.1017/S0967199423000060 - Effect of the addition of 4OHE2 and quercetin in culture media on ROS levels and gene expression in mouse blastocysts
Hernández, Nuria; Sánchez-Mateos, Soledad; López-Morató, Marta; Sánchez-Margallo, Francisco; Álvarez, Ignacio.
Reproduction. Fertility and Development Sep;34(15):980-990
https://doi.org/10.1071/RD22041 - 4-Hydroxyestradiol improves mouse embryo quality, epidermal growth factor-binding capability in vitro, and implantation rates. Hernández N, López-Morató M, Perianes MJ, Sánchez-Mateos S, Casas-Rua V, Domínguez-Arroyo JA, Sánchez-Margallo FM, Álvarez IS.
Mol Hum Reprod. Vol 27 (2) 2021 Nov 25:gaaa075.
https://doi.org/10.1093/molehr/gaaa075 - Histological cut of a paraffin-embedded blastocyst: optimized protocol for murine blastocysts.
Alejandra Uson; Marta López-Morató; José Mijares; Soledad Sánchez-Mateos; Francisco Sánchez- Margallo; Ignacio Álvarez; Nuria Hernández, MSc
Methods X. vol 7, pp:1-9; 2020, 100767
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.12.008