View Frozen Embryos

Embryos retrieved from donors or an IVF In-Vitro Fertilization. In relation to embryo transfers, IVF occurs when oocytes (eggs) are collected via OPU (ovum pick up), and then in a lab, semen is added to create embryos. procedure are analyzed for viability, and those rated as grade 1 or 2 are considered suitable for freezing. Embryos must be handled very carefully by certified technicians to ensure they are properly labeled and frozen to maintain viability and to correctly identify embryo parentage details. Once frozen, the embryos remain stored in a liquid nitrogen tank until ready to be thawed and transferred into a recipient animal. The embryos are carefully thawed using a water bath prior to transfer to the recipient animal.

Freezing embryos offers some advantages over using fresh embryos, including: 

• Frozen embryos are viable for a long period of time, which allows for synchronization with recipient animals' estrus cycles.
• Frozen embryos can be easily transported.
• Once frozen, embryos can be stored indefinitely using proper storage techniques.

Before You Begin

Prior to entering your embryos to inventory, be sure to have all required details available. Verify that the lab report or other listing that accompanied the delivery of your embryos is handy and available for reference. Note that the following details are required to add embryos to inventory:

• Sire NAAB National Association of Animal Breeders. www.naab-css.org code, Name, or ISO International Organization for Standardization, a global organization that promotes commercial and industrial standards. ID Identifier
• Donor ID, Name, or ISO ID
• Breeding Date
• Frozen Date (for frozen embryos)

In addition to the required items, other information that is useful when preparing to add embryos includes: 

• Embryo breed
• Straw or Vial details
• Embryo counts

1. To add a new frozen embryo, click the Options button at the top right of the Embryo Inventory page and select + Add Frozen Embryos.

2. Complete all required fields and any additional details for the embryos:



See the following definitions for help adding embryo details. All required fields are marked with the * (asterisk) symbol: 

• Sire: Indicates which bull’s semen was used to fertilize the donor's egg to produce the embryo. Start typing the sire's NAAB code, Name, or ISO ID to bring up matching animals, and then click to select the correct sire:

  

• Donor: The donor female who provided the embryo or oocyte An unfertilized egg. (sometimes referred to as the donor dam). Start typing the donor's ID, Name, BNAME Barn name, or ISO ID to bring up matching animals, and then click to select the correct donor:

  

  NOTE: the PULSE Platform supports adding embryos from donor animals that have died.
• Tank: The liquid nitrogen storage tank containing the cane with the embryo's straw.

• Type: The harvest method used:

  • Flush (for embryos)
  • IVF (In Vitro Fertilization - for oocytes Unfertilized eggs.)
  • Other (for when the harvest method was neither of the above)
• Embryo Breed: The embryo breed. Select from the standard list of NAAB breeds.

• Breeding Date: The date the donor's eggs were fertilized with the sire's semen.

• Frozen @: Date the embryo was frozen.

• Freeze Method: The method used to freeze the embryo:  

  • Direct Transfer (DT): Also known as vitrification, the process of using high levels of cryoprotectant to quickly cool an embryo to freezing. A common cryoprotectant used for this process is ethylene glycol. DT is the most common method of freezing an embryo and is selected by default.

  • Slow: Also known as equilibrium freezing, the process of using low levels of cryoprotectant and a programmable freezing machine to slowly lower the temperature of the embryo to freezing.

• Stage: The stage at which the embryo was harvested:

  • 1 = Unfertilized
  • 2 = Simple Celled
  • 3 = Early Morula
  • 4 = Morula
  • 5 = Early Blastocyst
  • 6 = Blastocyst
  • 7 = Expanded Blastocyst
  • 8 = Hatched Blastocyst
  • 9 = Expanded and Hatched Blastocyst

• Grade: The quality of the embryo:

  • 1 = Good
  • 2 = Fair
  • 3 = Poor
  • 4 = Dead (or Degenerating)

• Cane: The container holding the embryo's straw.

• From Straw: The first straw number that contains this embryo.

• To Straw: The last straw number that contains this embryo. This allows the PULSE Platform to calculate the total number of embryos to be added. For instance, if you add embryos From Straw 6 To Straw 11, a total of 6 embryos are added. After you add From Straw and To Straw values, the Add button updates to include the straw/embryo count:

  

  NOTE: To add a single embryo, enter the same number in the From Straw and To Straw fields.

3. Click Add. A message indicates the total number of added embryos:
   

If you make an error in any of the entry fields, see Manage Embryos.