Successfully preserved frozen ovaries

On August 23, scientists from the Japan National Institute of Biomedical and Biological Sciences said they had succeeded in testing the ovaries of monkeys and frozen marinated, then transplanted back to the monkeys. experience.

This success gives hope to women after cancer treatment can still conceive naturally.

Japanese scientists cut all two ovaries of 5 monkeys and frozen them for 3 weeks before putting them back in their bodies. They confirmed that the ovaries of two of the 5 monkeys produced the hormone estrogen needed for eggs to grow in the female body.

The freezing of water-containing body parts such as ovaries is very difficult, but Japanese scientists who have used freezing methods are often used by fishermen to preserve fresh tuna when offshore fishing. . After freezing the ovaries of the monkeys, the scientists stored them in a nitrogen solution at minus 196 degrees Celsius for 2-3 weeks.

According to lead researcher Tadashi Sankai, they will continue to take the above eggs for in vitro fertilization to see if they are developing normally. Currently, women with cancer who want to have a baby after treatment can keep their eggs frozen before treatment to later inseminate.

Sankai said his team is also working to freeze other body parts such as the heart, liver and skin. If successful and applicable in humans, this method will help " store " body parts that may be damaged during cancer treatment with chemicals or other treatments .