Cryopreservation services 

GEMM has extensive experience cryopreserving mouse strains. Embryo and sperm cryopreservation can be performed for a variety of reasons.  Investigators may cryopreserve germplasm to safeguard a strain against outbreaks, unexpected breeding failures, and natural disasters.  Another motivation for cryopreserving germplasm is to facilitate sharing of a strain with collaborators around the world.  Cryopreservation also enables you to retain a strain that is not being actively studied but may later become important to your research program as we can rederive live mice for you from cryopreserved embryos and sperm. 

 We offer two cryopreservation options: 

1. Sperm cryopreservation, no quality control.  Sperm will be cryopreserved from 2 to 3 adult proven males of the desired genotype (no additional quality controls will be done on this sperm).
2. Hybrid (embryo and sperm) cryopreservation.  Fresh sperm will be harvested from 2 or 3 proven males of the desired genotype and will be used with eggs, typically B6, for in vitro fertilization.  Resulting embryos are cryopreserved. In parallel, any unused sperm is cryopreserved (no additional quality controls will be done on this sperm). 

 Both options are automatically associated with an annual cryostorage fee.  All cryopreserved samples are stored in duplicate in two separate locations on campus.  If, at the time of the service request, you indicate that you would like to keep your samples, we will provide them to you instead.