Lipid droplet phase transition in freezing cat embryos and oocytes probed by Raman spectroscopy

Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation is a widely used technology for cryopreservation of genetic resources. One limitation of cryopreservation is the low tolerance to freezing observed for oocytes and embryos rich in lipid droplets. We apply Raman spectroscopy to investigate freezing of lipid droplets inside cumulus-oocyte complexes, mature oocytes and early embryos of a domestic cat. Raman spectroscopy allows one to characterize the degree of lipid unsaturation, lipid phase transition from the liquid-like disordered to solid-like ordered state, and triglyceride polymorphic state.

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