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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 18(6)

Growth and histology of ovarian follicles after cold storage in the tammar wallaby

Nadine M. Richings A B C , Geoffrey Shaw A , Peter D. Temple-Smith A and Marilyn B. Renfree A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

B Present address: Centre for Reproduction and Development, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: nadine.richings@med.monash.edu.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(6) 677-688 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD06007
Submitted: 31 January 2006  Accepted: 2 May 2006   Published: 10 July 2006

Abstract

Cold storage is a simple method for storing and transporting tissues and organs. The reliability of this method for maintaining structure and function of marsupial ovarian tissue was assessed using histological techniques and follicle culture. Tammar wallaby ovaries were placed in cold storage (phosphate-buffered saline at 4°C) for 24 or 48 h. Although necrotic changes were evident in the germinal epithelium, cortex and interstitial tissue after cold storage, there was little evidence of necrotic changes in ovarian follicles and oocytes appeared normal. Secondary follicles isolated from ovarian tissue after cold storage grew by a similar amount to non-stored follicles when cultured for 4 days in vitro, but no follicles from any group developed to tertiary follicles. Cold storage for up to 24 h had little obvious effect on the structure of ovarian tissue and follicles isolated from this tissue maintained their structure during culture. However, degeneration in culture increased with storage time and was significantly higher after cold storage for 48 h. As demonstrated in the tammar wallaby, cold storage has potential as a method for storage and transport of marsupial ovaries up to 24 h.

Extra keywords: conservation, follicle culture, marsupial, oocyte, serum-free medium.


Acknowledgments

We thank the Wallaby Research Group for help with animal handling, in particular Sue Osborn for help with animals in surgery. We thank Joan Clarke, Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, for sectioning and staining all fixed follicles and Dr Marie Herberstein, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, for statistical help and advice. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (DP0344941) and an Australian Postgraduate Award to NMR.


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