Figure 4.

Use of a microfluidic cryoprotectant exchange system to generate automated, continuous and gradual permeable and impermeable (sucrose) cryoprotectant addition and test the influence on mouse oocyte and zygote osmotic stress, morphology, sub-lethal cell damage and development. CPA exchange profiles and representative morphology for: No CPA exposure (control), commonly used manual pipetting protocol (Manual CPA), automated microfluidic protocol with gradual addition of all CPA components (Auto), and alternative CPA exposure protocols, gradual exposure of permeable CPA components but abrupt exposure to the impermeable component sucrose (Abrupt Sucrose) and direct and sudden exposure from culture media to VS (known to be detrimental to oocyte viability). Scale bar: 50 mm. Adapted from Lai et al. (2015).