OF BOVINE EMBRYOS

A NEW TECHNIQUE WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE RAPID FREEZING OF BOVINE EMBRYOS IN LATE MORULA STAGE. THE APPROACH IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT EACH EMBRYO IS A DEVELOPING SYSTEM WHOSE RESPONSE TO FREEZING IS UNIQUE. THE PROPOSED METHOD QUANT ITATIVELY ASSESSES THE STATE OF DEVELOPMENT FOR EACH EMBRYO AND FORMULATES AN OPTIMUM FREEZING PROTOCOL FOR THAT EMBRYO. NO PENETRATING CRYOPROTECTANT IS EMPLOYED AND THE PROCESS IS NEARLY COMPLETELY AUTOMATED. THIS SIMPLIFIED TECHNIQUE ASSURES THAT ONLY VIABLE EMBRYO ARE FROZEN, THAWED, AND TRANSFERRED. THE RESEARCH WILL INCLUDE TRANSFER OF EMBRYOS FROZEN AND THAWED BY THIS NEW TECHNIQUE TO SURROGATEFEMALE COWS AND/OR HEIFERS. PREGNANCY RATES FROM THE NEW METHOD ARE EXPECTED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF RATES CURRENTLY POSSIBLE WITH EITHER FROZEN OR NON-FROZEN EMBRYOS.