CRYOPRESERVATION OF TRANSGENIC EMBRYOS

TRANSGENIC MOUSE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES A POWERFUL BIOLOGICAL ASSAY FOR STUDYING ONCOGENE EXPRESSION AND ACTIVITY IN WHOLE TISSUE AND ORGAN DEVELOPMENT. EMBRYO VITRIFICATION TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS RESEARCHERS TO STORE TRANSGENIC MOUSE EMBRYOS FOR FUTURE STUDIES AND DISTRIBUTION, ENABLING MORE RESEARCHERS TO USE THESE IMPORTANT EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS. CRYOPRESERVATION OF EMBRYOS USING VITRIFICATION TECHNOLOGY OFFERS MANY ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL EMBRYO-FREEZING TECHNIQUES. VITRIFICATION IS FAST, EASY, AND INEXPENSIVE. RECENT IN VITRO DEVELOPMENT STUDIES INDICATE THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF VITRIFIED EMBRYOS WILL SURVIVE THIS LOW-TEMPERATURE STORAGE PROCEDURE. HOWEVER, IN VIVO DEVELOPMENT OF VITRIFIED EMBRYOS HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT. THIS PHASE I RESEARCH WILL DETERMINE WHETHER VITRIFIED EMBRYOS FROM THREE DIFFERENT EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OBTAINED FROM TWO DIFFERENT STRAINS OF MICE WILL DIFFER IN THEIR IN VIVO DEVELOPMENT. THE TYPE OF VITRIFIED EMBRYO THAT MOST CONSISTENTLY DEVELOPS TO OFFSPRING AT A HIGH RATE WILL BE USED IN PHASE II TO STORE SEVERAL LINES OF TRANSGENIC MICE IMPORTANT FOR CANCER RESEARCH.