Container for culturing, micro manipulation and identification of small specimens

Abstract

A disposable polymer container for manipulation of small specimens adapted to optimize heat transfer between an external heating element and specimens herein contained. In particular, this invention relates to the field of containers for Assisted Reproductive Technology hereunder In-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to the field of containers for culturing and manipulating small specimens.[0002]In particular, this invention relates to the field of containers for Assisted Reproductive Technology hereunder In-vitro fertilization (IVF).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Disposable sterile polymer containers such dishes and well plates are useful when manipulating smaller specimens in liquid media, e.g during artificial reproductive technologies such as In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) by the micro manipulation and culturing of spermatozoa, oocytes and embryos.[0004]Current containers used for micro manipulation within IVF are mostly generic, off-the-shelf, dishes developed for standard tissue culture. The micro manipulation of immature oocytes, mature oocytes, gametes, zygotes, embryos, cleavage stage embryos, blastocyst stage embryos, precursor cells, and such, referred to herein as “specimens”, are done in standard 35 mm, 50 mm or 60 mm Petri Dish or ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is directed to a lid structure and a method of producing a polymer specimen container. The lid structure prevents scratching the bottom surface when stacking containers with lids. The method prevents distortion of the flat bottom base during solidification of the polymer specimen carrier by using an open hollow structure with recesses and ridges. These technical effects are useful for preserving the integrity and quality of polymer specimens during storage and transportation.

Problems solved by technology

Scratching reduces visibility of the specimens during use and during microscopy.

The wall structure utilized on commercially available well plates has lower wall base level than the level of the bottom, not allowing the contact between bottom surface and heated working surface below.

Within IVF the rim elevating the bottom of generic dishes and plates are a disadvantage since it introduces an air gap between the surface of the heated working table and the bottom of the dish or well.

As air is not a good heat transporter, the temperature at the elevated bottom of the dishes and wells can be hard to control on heated working surfaces.

The laminar air flow creates air movements which makes the control of the temperature more difficult.

However removing the rim below the polymer specimen container such as on a commercially available Petri dish, reduces the structural integrity of the polymer container and increases the likelihood of distortion of the bottom surface during solidification of the polymer container during production, as well as increasing the risk of scratching the surface during stacking for packaging, transportation and incubation.

Another problem is related to traceability of specimens from patients / donors in the various standard containers used during IVF procedure, is the fact that traditional dishes are of a Petri dish type or well plate type, where the container is fully covered by a lid.

Identification can be made on the lid, however this lid can potentially fit other dishes of similar type potentially leading to mismatch of specimens and patients / donors.

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