Review

Cryopreservation/transplantation of ovarian tissue and in vitro maturation of follicles and oocytes: Challenges for fertility preservation

Alex C Varghese¹ , Stefan S du Plessis² , Tommaso Falcone¹ and Ashok Agarwal¹

¹  Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA

²  Division of Medical Physiology, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa

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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2008, 6:47doi:10.1186/1477-7827-6-47

Published:	2 October 2008

Abstract

Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and in vitro follicle maturation are two emerging techniques for fertility preservation, especially in cancer patients. These treatment regimes are opening up more options and allow for more suitable choices to preserve fertility according to the patient's specific circumstances. If these technologies are to become widely accepted, they need to be safe, easy to perform and must obtain favorable results. The generation of healthy eggs with the normal genetic complement and the ability to develop into viable and healthy embryos requires tight regulation of oocyte development and maturation. Novel freezing techniques such as vitrification, along with whole ovary cryopreservation and three-dimensional follicle cultures, have shown favorable outcomes. The scope of this article is to take a comprehensively look at the challenges still faced in order for these novel technologies to be routinely employed with the aim of successful fertility preservation.