Services and Pricing

Sperm Cryopreservation

The freezing of mature spermatozoa has become a viable alternative to embryo cryopreservation. Freezing sperm is more cost effective and less labor intensive than freezing embryos. Improved protocols developed by The Jackson Laboratories have improved previous methods of sperm cryopreservation and reconstitution.

The investigator is responsible for providing a complete description of the mouse line to be cryopreserved (strain, genotype, etc.). Upon completing the appropriate form, sperm is obtained from the epididymides and vas deferentia of a male transgenic or knock-out mouse and cryopreserved.

Straws of frozen sperm are stored in liquid nitrogen storage tanks. A yearly storage fee applies for each line stored. These tanks are monitored weekly by personnel of the resource, and cannot be accessed by other individuals.

Timeline:

1. PI submits appropriate service form to Tg Mouse/ESC Shared Resource for microinjection
2. Service forms are reviewed and approved by the Co-Directors of the facility
3. Experiments are scheduled
4. Cryopreservation is performed and 25 straws per male are placed into long term storage
5. A small scale IVF is scheduled, mice are ordered
6. One straw of sperm is utilized for IVF
7. Confirmation of fertilized embryos at the 2-cell stage
8. PI notified about results of IVF