Gamete and Stem Cell Vitrification in Animals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1285

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
International Livestock Research Centre, Gold Coast 4211, Australia
Interests: in vitro fertilization (IVF); embryo vitrification; stem cell biology; animal cloning; animal breeding
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the recent advancements, challenges, and future directions in the field of gamete and stem cell vitrification. Vitrification, a technique for cryopreserving cells and tissues, has revolutionized various fields, including assisted reproduction, regenerative medicine, and conservation biology. This Special Issue seeks to highlight the latest research and innovations in gamete and cell vitrification, with particular interest in simplifying the process.

Although the vitrification of biological materials, including molecules, cells, tissues, organs, and even some whole organisms, has been widely used, research progress in this area has been somewhat hindered by the widespread use of commercialized kits. Consequently, there has been a slower pace in the development of certain methods, such as the direct transfer of vitrified embryos. We invite original research papers that address methods and approaches in vitrification, with a focus on overcoming these challenges and advancing the field.

Animals does not publish articles describing the use of animals solely to provide information of relevance to humans, e.g., for development of human medicines.

Dr. Muren Herrid
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • vitrification
  • sperm
  • oocyte
  • embryo
  • stem cells

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 4722 KiB  
Article
Effects and Mechanisms of Imperatorin on Vitrified Mouse Oocytes
by Yuan Feng, Mengyuan Zhang, Wenqing Yuan, Dan Zhao, Zhixuan Luo, Zihui Tang, Yongheng Wang and Ming Cang
Animals 2025, 15(5), 661; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050661 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 684
Abstract
Imperatorin (IMP) is a naturally occurring furanocoumarin with beneficial biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, and neuromodulatory properties. Currently, the protective effects and mechanisms of IMP on oxidative stress experienced by mouse oocytes after vitrification–thawing remain unclear. To investigate the influence of IMP [...] Read more.
Imperatorin (IMP) is a naturally occurring furanocoumarin with beneficial biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, and neuromodulatory properties. Currently, the protective effects and mechanisms of IMP on oxidative stress experienced by mouse oocytes after vitrification–thawing remain unclear. To investigate the influence of IMP on mouse oocyte development after vitrification–thawing, we added different concentrations of IMP to the vitrification and thawing media. Results indicated that the addition of 40 μM IMP enhanced post-thaw fertilization capacity, reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and increased intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels. IMP also improved mitochondrial health by alleviating the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and enhancing mitochondrial distribution. IMP reduced intracellular ROS levels by affecting the transcription of the antioxidant genes SOD2, NRF2, and HO-1 and enhancing SOD activity. It also elevated GSH levels via GPX1, improved mitochondrial function, and decreased early apoptosis through Bcl-2. In conclusion, IMP enhanced ovum health through the alleviation of oxidative stress. The present study provides useful information for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of IMP in female reproductive cells and offers a novel approach for the improvement of vitrification technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gamete and Stem Cell Vitrification in Animals)
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