The effect of chemical treatment of the sheep embryo zona pellucida on the ability of blastocysts to hatch after vitrification and warming.

BACKGROUND: The embryo release from the zona pellucida is of prerequisites of successful implantation. OBJECTIVES: Regarding the negative impact of embryo cryopreservation on the blastocysts hatchability, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of treating embryonic zona pellucida with pronase or acidic Tyrode's solution (ATS) before morula formation on the viability, freezability, and hatchability of vitrified-warmed resulted blastocysts. METHODS: In the first experiment, the zona pellucida of 3- and 4-day-old embryos were treated with the above compounds for 30 or 45 s. Then, the competency of the treated embryos to reach to blastocyst stage and the hatchability of resulting blastocysts were investigated. In the second experiment, the cryo-survivability and hatching rate of blastocysts resulting from 3-day-old embryos treated with pronase and ATS for 30 s were tested. RESULTS: In the first experiment and in contrast to the 45 s exposure, 30-s exposure of embryos to pronase or ATS did not have negative effect on the viability and development of embryos to blastocyst stage. In the second experiment, the freezability of blastocysts derived from 3-day-old embryos treated with pronase and ATS for 30 s was not different from that of the control group. However, the hatching rate of the pronase group was significantly higher than that of the control group. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that reducing the thickness of zona pellucida of sheep embryos with pronase had no negative effect on the developmental competency and freezability of the treated embryos and improved the hatchability of vitrified-warmed blastocysts.