Effect of embryo vitrification on postnatal mouse uterine development.

Objective: To determine whether the process of vitrification affects the development of the female Müllerian duct.
Study Design: We examined the difference in morphology and gene expression of the developing uteri of 30 female mice from transferred vitrified embryos and 30 female mice from transferred fresh embryos.
Results: By employing histology, the data showed that there were no significant differences between the 2 groups of the same age. With the use of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, the data showed that there was no significant change in the expression of Wnt genes (Wnt4, Wnt5a, Wnt7a), beta-catenin/TCF target genes, and homeobox A10 (HOXA10) gene during uterine development in the vitrified group as compared with the control group.
Conclusion: These data suggest that vitrifying preimplantation embryos may have no effects on morphology and gene expression of the uterus of offspring.