Cryopreservation of carp (Cyprinus carpio) blastomeres

The technique already adopted by the authors for the cryopreservation of rainbow trout blastomeres was applied to carp. Three stages were utilised for cell freezing: the morula stage, the early blastula stage and the late blastula stage. Survival rates were 89 +/- 1.6 % for morula cells, 94 +/- 0.6 % for early blastula cells and 96 +/- 0.4 % for late blastula cells. Early blastula and late blastula cells reaggregated into morula-like bodies within 2 h in culture medium. Results suggest that the freezing technique adopted for rainbow trout may be successfully applied to carp. The morula stage blastomeres were more sensitive to freezing than blastula stage blastomeres, as already found in rainbow trout. (C) Ifremer/Elsevier, Paris.