An Innovative Device Integrating Cryopreservation, Storage, and Artificial Insemination of Mouse Sperm

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): ParaTechs Corporation aims to provide researchers with advanced technology and methods to simplify procedures for laboratory animal models. While actively supporting efforts to `reduce, replace and refine' animal use, ParaTechs provides safe and efficient alternatives for surgical procedures. We have already brought to market a nonsurgical embryo transfer device (NSETTM) which replaces surgical embryo transfers with a nonsurgical method that takes only seconds and does not require anesthesia. We have developed a new protocol for nonsurgical artificial insemination (AI) of mice which replaces existing protocols for surgical AI and is a technical advancement for existing nonsurgical AI protocols. We plan to use this newly developed protocol to revolutionize the process of archiving and global distribution of mouse models through a novel sperm cryopreservation and strain recovery system. The use of mouse strains in research is one of the most important tools used to study mammalian gene function. While hundreds of thousands of mouse strains have been catalogued and cryopreserved, sharing of strains is becoming increasingly difficult as regulatory constraints and the cost of shipping live animals increase. We can solve this problem and provide a technically superior alternative with the cryopreservation and insemination (C&I) device. This system will integrate storage and shipment of cryopreserved sperm with nonsurgical artificial insemination. The device will be suitable for storage of cryopreserved sperm, will be shippable, will allow viable sperm recovery upon thawing, and then will be used directly for nonsurgical artificial insemination. This device will eliminate the need to perform in vitro fertilization (IVF) upon thawing of cryopreserved sperm; greatly reducing the number of mice required for the procedure and replacing a surgical method of artificial insemination, both of which promote animal health and welfare. Therefore, the goals of this project are to design, manufacture, and test a C&I device for mice. The goals will be accomplished in two aims. First, a C&I device prototype will be designed and produced. Second, the feasibility of using the C&I device prototype for sperm cryopreservation and mouse strain recovery will be tested. This new technological breakthrough will provide an alternative to cryorecovery of mouse strains by in vitro fertilization methods, the currently preferred but technically challenging and labor intensiv strain recovery method. In doing so, the C&I device will provide a substantial cost savings to researchers and a convenient method for shipping and strain recovery.