The general aim of this thesis was to optimise the current methodologies of oocyte cryopreservation in order to obtain live offspring from cryopreserved rabbit oocytes. In chapter 1, meiotic spindle configuration, cortical granules (CGs) distribution ABBREVIATIONS XV ABBREVIATIONS µg microgram µL microliters 6-DMAP 6-dimethylaminopurine AI Artificial insemination ART Assisted reproductive technologies ATP Adenosine triphosphate BM Base medium BSA Bovine serum albumin CaCl2 Calcium chloride Cai intracellular calcium CCD Charged-couple device CLC Cholesterol-loaded-cyclodextrin cm centimeter CO2 Carbon dioxide DMSO Dimethyl sulphoxide DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid DPBS Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline without calcium chloride EG Ethylene glycol ET Embryo transfer FBS Foetal bovine serum FITC Fluorescein isothiocyanate FITC-LCA Lens culinaris agglutinin labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate GCs Cortical granules Analysis of development after parthenogenetic activation…………………………………………………..………………..84 4.4. Discussion……………..…………………………………………………………..85 4.5. References……………..………………………………………………………...87 5. CHAPTER III: Treatment with cholesterol-loaded methyl-β-cyclodextrin increased the cholesterol in rabbit oocytes, but did not improve developmental competence of cryopreserved oocytes……………………………………………….93 5.