不同冷冻和解冻方法对小鼠桑椹胚发育的影响

本试验以2种程序化冷冻液和2种玻璃化冷冻液对昆明白系小鼠的桑椹胚进行细管法冷冻保存,比较程序化冷冻-管外解冻和玻璃化冷冻-管内解冻对胚胎体内、外发育的影响。胚胎体外培养结果表明:玻璃化冷冻组及程序化冷冻组胚胎发育率(95.3%￣95.8%,98.9%)无显著(P>0.05)差异。将程序化冷冻、EFS30玻璃化冷冻以及新鲜的胚胎各168枚移植给假孕受体鼠,妊娠受体产活仔率各组间相比(50.8%,58.3%,54.9%)无显著性(P>0.05)差异。结果证明,玻璃化冷冻保存的胚胎管内解冻效果好,为生产中家畜的胚胎移植提供了理论和技术参考。     

牛GV期卵母细胞冷冻保存后发育潜力的研究

二甲基亚砜(DMSO)、丙二醇(PROH)、乙二醇(EG)和甘油(GL)4种冷冻保护剂程序化冷冻牛GV期卵母细胞的结果表明,EG和PROH的保护效果比GL和DMSO好。4种不同冷冻方法冷冻保存牛GV期卵母细胞,比较解冻后卵母细胞的体外成熟率、受精后卵裂率。结果表明,在程序化冷冻法与细管玻璃化法(Straw)之间的差异不显著(P>0.05),在开放式拉管法(OPS)与毛细玻管法(GMP)之间的差异不显著(P>0.05);但OPS和GMP与程序化冷冻法和Straw之间的差异极显著(P<0.01)。玻璃化冷冻效果优于程序化冷冻。说明GMP和OPS玻璃化冷冻优于Straw玻璃化冷冻。说明可以采用GMP方法冷冻保存牛GV期卵母细胞。     

小鼠卵母细胞和胚胎不同冷冻方法的比较研究

探讨程序化冷冻与玻璃化冷冻对小鼠GV期卵母细胞及二细胞期胚胎的复苏率及其发育潜能的影响。通过小鼠的卵母细胞与早期胚胎的不同冷冻方法的比较,为后续阿旺绵羊的胚胎冷冻保存提供参考。采用程序化冷冻与玻璃化冷冻技术,分别冷冻小鼠GV期卵母细胞及二细胞期胚胎,复苏后培养,比较不同冷冻处理后的复苏率、成熟率与囊胚率。小鼠GV期卵母细胞程序化冷冻复苏率(48.00%±5.29%)显著低于玻璃化冷冻复苏率(65.00%±5.00%),有统计学差异(P=0.0147<0.05);而程序化冷冻后复苏卵母细胞的发育成熟率略高于玻璃化冷冻组,但无统计学意义。小鼠二细胞期胚胎程序化冷冻组复苏率(76.00%±2.00%)显著高于玻璃化冷冻组复苏率(70.00%±2.00%),有统计学差异(P=0.0213<0.05);冷冻后复苏胚胎发育的囊胚率程序化冷冻略低于玻璃化冷冻及对照组,但无统计学意义。     

哺乳动物胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存的研究进展

自1985年胚胎玻璃化冷冻(v itrification)保存技术发明以来,玻璃化法先后在小鼠、兔、绵羊、牛、猪、山羊等动物胚胎上获得成功,近年来有关哺乳动物胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存的研究主要集中在冷冻和解冻方法上,相继发明了一些新的玻璃化冷冻方法:冷环玻璃化法(cryo loop)和开放式细管法(open pu lled straw,OPS),并且对解冻后细管内直接脱除防冻剂进行了广泛深入的研究,使得冷冻胚胎移植更易于在生产上推广应用。现将胚胎玻璃化冷冻的原理、冷冻保护剂、冷冻方法、解冻后保护剂脱除方法的最新研究进展作一综述。     

影响山羊胚胎冷冻效果因素的研究

分别用浓度为1.5 mol/L的乙二醇(EG),1.5 mol/L 1,2-丙二醇(PROH)和1.5 mol/L甘油为冷冻保护液对山羊胚胎进行常规冷冻保存,结果三者对山羊胚胎的冷冻保护效果无显著差异,其中以1.5 mol/L EG的冷冻保护效果为佳。以EFS40为玻璃化液对山羊胚胎进行细管法和OPS法玻璃化冷冻,其结果与常规冷冻间差异不显著,表明常规冷冻法、玻璃化细管法和OPS法均可用于山羊胚胎的冷冻保存。采用25℃和37℃水浴对常规冷冻和玻璃化冷冻后的山羊胚胎进行解冻,从解冻后的发育效果看,二者间无显著差异,但37℃水浴解冻后的胚胎发育效果略好于25℃。还比较了玻璃化液EFS40中添加FCS和BSA后与不添加其他成分的EFS40对胚胎冷冻保护效果的影响,结果表明添加BSA的EFS40的冷冻保护效果显著地高于不添加其他成分的EFS40,但与添加FCS的EFS40间不存在统计学上的差异。     

澳洲波尔山羊胚胎3种冷冻方法对其胚胎移植效果的影响

在25℃室温下,采用细管法(一步法、二步法)和OPS法,以不同浓度的EFS、EDFS为玻璃化冷冻液,对澳洲波尔山羊致密桑椹胚和囊胚进行玻璃化冷冻保存。同时利用1.5mol/LEG为抗冻保护剂对胚胎进行常规法冷冻保存。分别将上述3种方法冷冻解冻后的胚胎移植于同期发情后6~7d的云南黑山羊受体。结果表明,细管法胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存效果均以EFS40组为佳,解冻后胚胎移植产羔率分别为40.54%(15/37;一步法)和51.35%(19/37;二步法)。与新鲜胚胎移植产羔率(52.50%,21/40)和常规法冷冻保存的胚胎移植产羔率(45.16%,14/31)相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。另外,用EDFS30玻璃化溶液,OPS法冷冻解冻后的胚胎移植产羔率高达51.43%(18/35),为整个玻璃化冷冻试验的最佳值。玻璃化冷冻方法简便、迅速,无论是细管法还是OPS法均获得了比较理想的胚胎移植效果。     

不同冷冻方法对水牛体外生产胚胎冷冻效果的研究

本研究采用不同来源的体外生产胚胎(屠宰场卵巢IVF胚胎,OPU-IVF胚胎,SCNT胚胎),系统研究了不同冷冻方法对水牛体外生产胚胎冷冻效果的影响,以完善水牛体外生产胚胎冷冻方法,进一步提高胚胎冷冻效果。试验选用6～7日龄囊胚分别用不同的冷冻液和不同冷冻方法进行胚胎冷冻。玻璃化冷冻液分别为40%EG、25%EG+25%DMSO和20%EG+20%DMSO+0.5 mol/L蔗糖;程序化冷冻液分别为10%甘油和0.05 mol/L海藻糖+1.8 mol/L EG+0.4%BSA。结果表明:(1)在玻璃化冷冻中,无论何种胚胎不同冷冻液的冷冻效果有明显的差异,但均以20%EG+20%DMSO+0.5 mol/L蔗糖作为冷冻液的冷冻效果最好,并且高于程序化冷冻的存活率;而对于程序化冷冻,用10%甘油作为冷冻液,屠宰场卵巢IVF胚胎的冷冻后存活率略高于用0.05 mol/L海藻糖+1.8 mol/L EG+0.4%BSA的冷冻后存活率,但差异不显著(P>0.05)。(2)VF胚胎利用程序化冷冻胚胎解冻后,在0～24 h内有76.5%胚胎复活,高于玻璃化冷冻的复苏率(48.9%)(P<0.05);而与此相反,在24～48 h内,玻璃化冷冻胚胎的复苏率(42.6%)则高于程序化冷冻(23.5%)(P<0.05)。综上所述,各种来源的水牛体外生产胚胎均可进行冷冻保存,应用玻璃化冷冻的效果好于程序化冷冻,且以20%EG+20%DMSO+0.5 mol/L蔗糖作为冷冻液进行玻璃化冷冻效果最好,但程序化冷冻后的胚胎复苏速度明显快于玻璃化冷冻的速度。     

山羊胚胎冷冻保存技术研究

本研究探讨了不同抗冻保护剂、不同冷冻方法、玻璃化液(EFS40)中添加FCS和BSA,以及冷冻前细胞松驰素B处理对山羊胚胎冷冻保存效果的影响。结果表明,山羊胚胎常规冷冻时以1.5 mol/L EG为抗冻保护剂的保护效果最好,解冻后胚胎发育率为70.59%,孵化率为58.82%;玻璃化冷冻细管法和OPS法以EFS40为保护液的冷冻效果较好,其解冻后胚胎的发育率分别为67.57%和52.94%;EFS40中添加BSA的冷冻保护效果显著地高于不添加其他成分的EFS40;山羊胚胎冷冻前用细胞松驰素B处理,能提高冷冻保存的效果。     

OPS法与细管法冷冻小鼠胚胎的研究

用0.25 mL细管和OPS(open pu lled straw)管,对小鼠囊胚进行玻璃化冷冻,以比较2种方法的冷冻效果。结果表明,冷冻-解冻胚胎体外培养24 h后,2组的发育率分别为63.3%(31/49)和71.4%(55/77);OPS法在冻胚发育率上稍优于细管法,但无统计学差异(P>0.05);2组冷冻胚胎的培养发育率均显著低于鲜胚培养组94.3%的发育率(P<0.05)。采用OPS法冷冻小鼠8-细胞胚,其冻后培养发育率为55.6%,似乎要低于囊胚冷冻后的培养发育率,但差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

小鼠2-细胞胚胎细管法和OPS法玻璃化冷冻保存技术的研究

本试验在室温 (2 0℃和 2 5℃ )条件下 ,利用不同浓度的玻璃化溶液 (EFS和EDFS) ,对小鼠 2 细胞胚胎进行细管法和OPS法玻璃化冷冻保存。在 2 0℃室温条件下 ,用EFS4 0平衡 1min细管一步法冷冻 ,解冻后囊胚发育率仅为35 .0 % ,和新鲜 2 细胞体外培养的对照组 (6 5 .0 % )的差异极显著 (P <0 .0 1)。当 2 细胞胚胎在 10 %EG +10 %D溶液中预处理 5min ,再移入EDFS中平衡 30s二步法冷冻保存 ,解冻后囊胚发育率达 4 7.8%～ 4 8.8% ;当室温升至2 5℃时 ,二步法冷冻保存后 2 细胞的囊胚发育率达到 5 2 .2 % ,与对照组无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。改用OPS二步法EFS30冷冻组保存后的 2 细胞胚胎的囊胚发育率高达 6 2 .2 % ,为试验中的最佳组。用最佳细管法和OPS法冷冻组解冻后培养至囊胚移植给受体母鼠均获得产仔     

Viability of OPS Vitrified Sheep Embryos After Direct Transfer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the viability in the effect of open pulled straw (OPS) vitrification procedure of sheep embryos after direct transference. Embryos were produced in vivo and cryopreserved in slow freezing or OPS vitrification. The survival rates of cryopreserved embryos were compared to non-frozen standard pattern. In a first set of experiments, embryos at morula and blastocyst stages were dived in ethylene glycol (1.5 M) and frozen in an automatic freezer. After being thawed, they were directly or indirectly transferred to ewes recipient. A second group of embryos were drawn into OPS and plunged into liquid nitrogen after being exposed at room temperature for 1 min and 45 s in 10% EG plus 10% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), then again for 30 s in 20% EG + 20% DMSO + 0.5 M sucrose. After being warmed, embryos were also directly transferred using a French mini straw as the catheter for the transplantation process or after in vitro dilution of cryoprotectants (two-step-process). No significant difference was observed among fresh, frozen or vitrified embryos on pregnancy rate (50.0%, 38.6% and 55.8%). However, when we evaluated only the direct transference, the pregnancy rate of OPS vitrified embryos was higher than that of frozen embryos (57.1% vs 34.8%) (p = 0.07). In addition, vitrified morulae had a higher pregnancy rate than the one with frozen embryos (64.0% vs 38.9%) (p = 0.07). Finally, our results indicate that OPS vitrification technique in association with direct transference improves the viability of sheep embryos with potential applications to field conditions.     

Comparison of Different Cryopreservation Techniques: Higher Survival and Implantation Rate of Frozen–Thawed Mouse Pronuclear Embryos in the Presence of Beta‐Mercaptoethanol in Post‐Thaw Culture

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of beta‐mercaptoethanol (β‐ME) on post‐thaw embryo developmental competence and implantation rate of mouse pronuclear (PN) embryos that were cryopreserved after slow freezing, solid surface vitrification (SSV) or open‐pulled straw (OPS) vitrification methods. Mouse PN embryos were cryopreserved by using slow freezing, SSV and OPS methods. After cryopreservation, freeze–thawed PN embryos were cultured up to blastocyst stage in a defined medium supplemented without or with 50 μm β‐ME. The blastocyst formation rate of embryos that were cryopreserved by slow freezing method (40.0%) or vitrified by OPS method (18.3%) were lower than those vitrified by SSV method (55.6%) and fresh embryos (61.9%) in the absence of 50 β‐ME in the culture media (p < 0.05). The blastocyst formation rate of embryos that were cryopreserved by slow freezing method (53.1%) or by OPS method (41.9%) were lower than those vitrified by SSV method (79.5%) and that of fresh (85.7%) in the presence of β‐ME in the culture media (p < 0.05). The embryos transfer results revealed that the implantation rate of blastocyst derived from mouse PN embryos vitrified by SSV method (31.9% vs 51.2%) was similar to that of the control (39.0% vs 52.5%), but higher than those cryopreserved by slow freezing (28.2% vs 52.0%) and by OPS method (0.0% vs 51.2%) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of β‐ME in an in vitro culture medium was shown to increase survival of embryo development and implantation rate of frozen–thawed mouse PN embryos after different cryopreservation protocols.     

Vitrification of Boer Goat Morulae and Early Blastocysts by Straw and Open-Pulled Straw Method

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different vitrification solutions [EFS30 or EFS40 contains 30% (v/v) ethylene glycol (EG), 40% (v/v) EG; EDFS30 or EDFS40 contains 15% (v/v) EG and 15% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 20% (v/v) EG and 20% (v/v) DMSO], equilibrium time during vitrification (0.5-2.5 min) and vitrification protocols [one-step straw, two-step straw and open-pulled straw (OPS)] on in vivo development of vitrified Boer goat morulae and blastocysts after embryo transfer. In the one-step straw method, the lambing rates of vitrified embryos in EFS30 (37.5%), EFS40 (40.5%) or EDFS30 (38.2%) group were similar to that of fresh embryos (57.5%) and conventional freezing method (46.7%) when the equilibrium time was 2 min. In the two-step straw method, the highest lambing rate was obtained when embryos were pretreated with 10% EG for 5 min and then exposed to EFS40 for 2 min (51.4%), showing similar lambing rates compared with fresh embryos (56.1%) or the embryos cryopreserved by conventional freezing method (45.2%). In the OPS method, the lambing rate in EFS40, EDFS30 or EDFS40 groups were similar to that (57.1%) of fresh embryos, or to that (46.0%) of embryos cryopreserved by conventional freezing method. The highest lambing rate (51.4%) of the group of OPS was obtained when the embryos were vitrified with EDFS30. In conclusion, either the two-step straw method in which embryos were pretreated in 10% EG for 5 min and then exposed to EFS40 for 2 min, or the OPS method in which embryos were pretreated in 10% EG + 10% DMSO for 30 s and then exposed to EDFS30 for 25 s was a simple and efficient method for the vitrification of Boer goat morulae and blastocysts.     

Improved survival of vitrified in vivo-derived porcine embryos

An efficient cryopreservation protocol for porcine morulae was investigated with three types of vitrification having different cooling rates (Exp. 1). Survival of embryos vitrified after removal of cytoplasmic lipid droplets was also examined by means of the minimum volume cooling (MVC) method (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1, the morula stage embryos were vitrified with a 0.25 ml plastic straw (ST-method), gel loading tip (GLT-method) and the MVC-method, respectively, and stored in liquid nitrogen after which they were warmed in sucrose solutions with cryoprotectants being subsequently removed in a stepwise manner. In Exp. 2, morulae were centrifuged with 7.5 microg/ml cytocharasin B at 12000 x g for 20 min to polarize the cytoplasmic lipid droplets that were then removed from the embryos by micromanipulation (delipation). Both those delipated at the morula stage and the intact embryos at the morula to blastocyst stages were vitrified by the MVC-method. In vitro survival of the vitrified embryos was assessed in both experiments by culturing in NCSU-23 + 10% FCS for 48 h. In vitro developments of vitrified embryos after warming to blastocysts were 20% (6/30) for the ST-method, 39% (18/46) for the GLT-method, and 60% (26/43) for the MVC-method. Embryo survival was further improved by vitrification after delipation (95%, 35/37) compared to intact vitrified morulae (24/42, 57%, P<0.001) and blastocysts (23/31, 74%, P<0.05). Moreover, the number of cells in blastocysts (92 +/- 25) derived from the delipated-vitrified morulae was comparable to those derived from intact control non-vitrified embryos (103 +/- 31). Our results demonstrate that vitrified porcine morulae have the highest survival when using the MVC-method in conjunction with delipation.     

转基因兔胚胎玻璃化冷冻保存的研究

在２５℃条件下,将兔体外受精精子载体转基因兔桑椹胚置于含有４０％乙二醇、１８％Ｆｉｃｏｌ、０．３ｍｏｌ蔗糖的ｍＰＢＳ溶液（ＥＦＳ４０）中平衡２分钟,然后直接投入液氮,成功地进行了玻璃化冷冻保存。解冻后桑椹胚发育至囊胚和孵化囊胚的比例分别为６５．８１％和３９．２４％,与未经冷冻的鲜胚发育比例（７１．０５％和４３．４２％）相比,没有明显的差异。７８枚经玻璃化冷冻和解冻的桑椹胚移植给５只受体,其中２只妊娠,共产下８只活仔兔。     

Successful Vitrification of In vivo Embryos Collected from Superovulated Japanese Black Cattle (Wagyu)

The aim of this study was to determine whether vitrification is an effective method when used for Japanese Black Cattle (Wagyu) in vivo‐derived embryos, collected following a superovulation treatment and embryo transfer (MOET) programme. In vivo‐derived morula and blastocysts collected on day 7 after artificial insemination, were vitrified using a modified droplet vitrification (MDV) procedure and subsequently warmed for transfer (ET) into synchronized recipients. Fresh embryos, and embryos cryopreserved using a standardized slow freezing procedure (direct thaw/direct transfer, DT) served as ET controls. Two different follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) sources, Folltropin^® Canada (FSH BAH, 24 donors) and a brand prepared by the Chinese Academy of Science (FSH CAS, 16 donors), were compared in a series of superovulation outcomes following well‐established FSH administration protocols. Following data analysis, the total number of ovulations recorded at the time of embryo flushing (10.5 vs 8.5; p = 0.28) and the total number of transferable embryos (6.2 vs 5.1; p = 0.52) were similar between the two FSH sources. ET for MDV (39.7%, n = 78), DT (35.2%, n = 71) and fresh controls (47.1%, n = 34) resulted in similar pregnancy rates (p > 0.05). When MDV was used, a higher pregnancy rate (42.6%) resulted from the transfer of vitrified morulae, when compared to the DT counterparts (24.3%), (p = 0.05). Transfer of vitrified morulae resulted also in higher pregnancy rate, when compared to the transfer of vitrified blastocysts (42.6% vs. 29.4%; p < 0.05). Transfer of DT blastocysts resulted in higher pregnancy rate than morulae, similarly cryopreserved (47.1% vs. 24.3%, p < 0.05). In conclusion, MDV is an effective alternative methodology for cryopreservation of in vivo‐derived embryos. This study gives also indication that, compared to vitrified blastocysts, MDV of morula stage embryos results in higher pregnancy rates following warming and transfer into synchronized recipients.     

Vitrification of biopsied mouse embryos

Solid surface vitrification (SSV) was compared with in-straw vitrification for cryopreservation of biopsied mouse embryos. Eight-cell stage embryos were zona drilled and one blastomere was removed. Developed morulae or blastocysts were vitrified in microdrop (35% EG + 5% PVP + 0.4 M trehalose) or in straw (7.0 M EG + 0.5 M sucrose). Following recovery, embryos were cultivated in vitro or transferred into recipients. Cryopreservation had an effect not only on the survival of biopsied embryos but also on their subsequent development in vitro. Cryosurvival of biopsied morulae vitrified in straw was significantly inferior to SSV. The post-warm development of biopsied and non-biopsied morulae was delayed on Day 3.5 and 4.5 in both vitrification groups. A delay in development was observed on Day 5.5 among vitrified non-biopsied blastocysts. The percentage of pups born from biopsied morulae or blastocysts following cryopreservation did not differ from that of the control. No significant differences could be detected between methods within and between embryonic stages in terms of birth rate. The birth rate of biopsied embryos vitrified in straw was significantly lower compared to the non-biopsied embryos. The novel cryopreservation protocol of SSV proved to be effective for cryopreservation of morula- and blastocyst-stage biopsied embryos.     

Stepwise in-straw dilution and direct transfer using open pulled straws (OPS) in the mouse: a potential model for field manipulation of vitrified embryos

In the present study, mouse blastocysts were employed to investigate the feasibility and efficiency of stepwise in-straw dilution and direct transfer using the open pulled straw (OPS) method. In experiment I, the effects of various vitrification solutions (VS) on embryo survival were examined. After thawing, the expanded blastocyst rates (97.59 and 95.05%) and hatching rates (80.48 and 78.95%) achieved in the EDFS30 [15% ethylene glycol (EG), 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Ficoll, and sucrose] and EFS40 [40% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose] groups were no different from those (96.15% and 83.33%) of the control group. However, the rates in the EFS30 [30% EG, Ficoll, and sucrose] (87.80 and 55.43%) and EDFS40 [20% EG, 20% DMSO, Ficoll, and sucrose] (95.69 and 70.97%) groups were significantly lower than those (96.15 and 83.33%) of the control group (P<0.05). In the experiment II, the effects of the volume of VS in the OPS on the survival of embryos after in-straw thawing were investigated. When the length of the VS in the column was less than 1 cm, the in vitro viability of embryos thawed by stepwise in-straw dilution was no different among the experimental and control groups. The embryos could be successfully thawed by immersing the OPS in 0.5 M sucrose for 3 min and then 0.25 M sucrose for 2 min. In experiment III, the effect of immersion time of the OPS in diluent (PBS) on the viability of vitrified embryos was investigated. After in-straw thawing, OPSs were immersed immediately in 1 ml PBS for 0 to 30 min. When the immersion time of the OPSs in PBS was less than 12 min, in vitro development of the in-straw thawed embryos was no different from that of the controls. In experiment IV, in-straw thawed blastocysts were directly transferred to pseudopregnant mice to examine their in vivo developmental viability. The pregnancy (91.67%) and birth rates (42.42%) of embryos in-straw thawed and directly transferred were no different from those of the unvitrified controls (90.90 and 40%) and embryos thawed by the conventional method (84.61 and 46.94%). These results demonstrate that mouse embryos vitrified with OPS could be successfully thawed by stepwise in-straw dilution and transferred directly to a recipient and that this method might be a model for field manipulation of vitrified embryos in farm animals.     

Forced Collapse of the Blastocoel Cavity Improves Developmental Potential in Cryopreserved Bovine Blastocysts by Slow‐Rate Freezing and Vitrification

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of forced collapse of the blastocoel before slow‐rate freezing and vitrification of bovine blastocysts. Cryopreservation of bovine blastocysts has been proposed as a tool to improve the feasibility of cattle production using the embryo transfer technique. However, the low efficiency of frozen–thawed embryos survival and further development is a crucial problem. In this study, bovine in vitro and in vivo blastocysts were slow‐rate frozen and vitrified after forced blastocoele collapse (FBC) of the blastocyst cavity by puncturing the blastocoele with a pulled Pasteur pipet. Differences in the developmental potential of frozen–thawed blastocysts derived from FBC and non‐FBC groups were found in both slow‐rate freezing and vitrification. Furthermore, we found that the total cell number of blastocysts in FBC groups was increased and the index of apoptosis in FBC groups was decreased. Consistent with these results, real‐time RT‐PCR analysis data showed that expression of the anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐XL gene was significantly increased by FBC groups, whereas expression of the pro‐apoptotic Bax gene was significantly decreased by FBC groups. Our results also showed that pregnancy outcomes in both slow‐rate frozen and vitrified bovine in vivo blastocysts could be improved by reducing the fluid content after FBC of the blastocyst cavity. Therefore, we suggest that FBC of the blastocyst cavity with a pulled Pasteur pipet is an effective pre‐treatment technique for both slow‐rate freezing and vitrification of bovine blastocysts.