Effect of Linoleic Acid-Albumin on Post-Thaw Survival of in vitro-Produced Bovine Embryos at the 16-Cell Stage

Abstract

The effect of addition of linoleic acid-albumin (LAA) to culture medium before freezing on the survival rate of bovine 16-cell embryos after freezing-thawing was investigated. Embryos were incubated in CR1aa containing LAA (0.25 mg/m/) for 4 days after insemination. A conventional slow cooling method was used, in which embryos were cooled at a rate of 0.3°C/min to -30°C in medium supplemented with 1.5 M ethylene glycol and 0.2 M trehalose. The developmental rate to the blastocyst stage of thawed embryos that had been cultured with LAA-containing medium before freezing was higher than that of these cultured without LAA (P<0.05). However, with fresh, non-frozen, embryos that were incubated under the same culture conditions (with and without LAA), no such difference was found.