Chapter 25 - Cryopreservation and transplantation of isolated follicles

Summary

Detection of minimal residual disease in ovarian tissue was carried out by histology, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and long-term xenografting. To avoid transferring malignant cells together with grafted ovarian tissue, ovarian follicles may be isolated from the surrounding tissue and then either cultured for in vitro follicle maturation or transplanted directly into the recipient. Transplantation of frozen-thawed isolated primordial follicles has been successfully carried out in mice, yielding normal offspring. After isolation and recovery of human follicles, the developmental capacity and viability of these isolated human follicles are evaluated after transplantation. New matrices have been developed based on hydrogels, foams or natural polymers which could be suitable to nestle the isolated follicles and form a kind of artificial ovary before grafting to the patient. This would allow patients at risk of ovarian metastasis to benefit also from ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation.