Relationship between equilibration times and the presence of cumulus cells, and effect of Taxol treatment for vitrification of in vitro matured porcine oocytes

The effects of the presence or absence of cumulus cells and equilibration times (1 and 4 min) with cryoprotectant, and Taxol treatment before vitrification (0.5-5.0 μM) on development of in vitro matured porcine oocytes after vitrification were examined. Ethylene glycol (30%) and sucrose (0.5 M) was used as a vitrification solution (39 °C), and cryotop was used for cryo-container. There was a significant relationship (F value: 6.077, P < 0.05) in the rate of morphologically normal oocytes after vitrification between the equilibration times and the presence or absence of cumulus cells. The blastocyst rates were not significantly different between Taxol (1.4-5.5%) and non-treated control (8.8%). The results show that the optimal exposure time to achieve survival after vitrification depends on the presence or absence of cumulus cells, and that Taxol has no positive effect on the developmental capacity of vitrified, in vitro matured porcine oocytes.