Fig. 2

Vitrification-induced oxidative stress and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. (A) Representative images and the fluorescence intensity of ROS in blastocysts (n = 14 for Con, n = 15 for Vit). Scale bar, 50 μm. (B) Relative mRNA abundance of the antioxidant genes Sod1, Sod2 and Gpx1. (C) Representative images and the fluorescence intensity of mitochondrial activity in blastocysts (n = 25 for Con, n = 37 for Vit). Scale bar, 50 μm. (D) Effects of vitrification on mitochondrial ultrastructure. White arrows indicate mitochondrial swelling, vacuolation, and disappearance of mitochondrial crest damage. Black arrow indicates autophagosome. Dotted arrow indicated knife markers. Scale bar, 1 μm. (E) Representative images and the fluorescence intensity of γH2A.X in blastocysts (n = 31 for Con, n = 22 for Vit). Scale bar, 50 μm. (F) Representative images and the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells (green) in blastocysts (n = 27 for Con, n = 24 for Vit). Scale bar, 50 μm. (G) Relative abundance of cell apoptosis related genes Bax and Bcl2 and the ratio of Bax/Bcl2. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001. Con represents control sample; Vit represents vitrified sample