Efficiency of osmotic and chemical treatments to improve the permeation of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide to Japanese whiting (Sillago japonica) embryos

Insufficient cryoprotectant permeation is one of the major obstacles for successful fish embryo cryopreservation. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of osmotic and chemical treatments to enhance cryoprotectant uptake by fish embryos. Japanese whiting Sillago japonica embryos at the somites and tail elongation stages were treated with hyperosmotic sugar solutions (1 M trehalose and sucrose) for 2–6 min, or a permeating agent (2–6 mg/mL pronase) for 30–120 min, and then impregnated with 10–15% DMSO in artificial sea water or aqueous solutions containing inorganic salts (0.125–0.25 M MgCl2 and CaCl2). The viability of the embryos after the treatments was estimated from hatching rates and the internal DMSO concentration was measured by HPLC. Treatment with trehalose for 3 min prior to impregnation with DMSO enhanced the uptake of the cryoprotectant by 45% without significantly affecting embryo viability, whereas pronase had no noticeable effect on cryoprotectant permeation. Incorporation of DMSO into the embryos was enhanced by 143–170% in the presence of 0.25 M MgCl2 and 0.125 M CaCl2 compared to sea water. A combination of treatments with trehalose and MgCl2 was even more effective in promoting DMSO permeation (191% compared to untreated embryos). Tail elongation embryos were less tolerant of the treatments, but had higher DMSO impregnation. In conclusion, the use of trehalose (as dehydrating agent) and MgCl2/CaCl2 (as a vehicle during impregnation) greatly promoted cryoprotectant uptake and may be a promising aid for the successful cryopreservation of fish embryos.