Raman spectroscopy reveals the lipid phase transition in preimplantation mouse embryos during freezing

• Published in: Archives of biochemistry and biophysics Vol. 635; pp. 37 - 43
• Main Authors: Okotrub, K.A., Amstislavsky, S.Y., Surovtsev, N.V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Blastocyst - chemistry; Cryopreservation; Cryopreservation - methods; Female; Freezing; Glycerol; Lipid Bilayers - chemistry; Lipid phase transition; Lipids - chemistry; Mice; Molecular Conformation; Phase Transition; Phosphatidylcholines - chemistry; Preimplantation mouse embryo; Program freezing; Raman spectroscopy; Spectrum Analysis, Raman - methods; Glycerol; Preimplantation mouse embryo; Program freezing; Raman spectroscopy; Lipid phase transition; Cryopreservation
• ISSN: 0003-9861; 1096-0384
• DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2017.10.001

Although lipid phase transition is believed to be among the major damaging factors in oocytes and preimplantation embryos cryopreservation, lack of the appropriate experimental methods limits investigation of this phenomenon. Herein, we demonstrate the capabilities of Raman spectroscopy to detect the lipid phase transition within the freezing preimplantation mouse embryos. We exploit the sensibility of antisymmetric CH2 Raman peak to the phase state of lipids. It is shown that during the freezing of the mouse embryos the lipid phase transition occurs at the temperatures between −7 and 0 °C. Similar temperature dependences of CH2 mode intensities are found for lipids in the preimplantation embryos and a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, implying the similarity in the occupation rules of conformational states. Raman spectroscopy is considered as a method of choice to study the lipid phase transition during preimplantation mammalian embryos freezing and cryopreservation. [Display omitted] •Raman spectroscopy was incorporated in mouse embryo cryopreservation program.•Raman spectroscopy is suitable to evaluate lipid phase transition in freezing cells.•Lipid phase transition within freezing mouse embryos occurs at −7 ÷ 0 °C.