Apparatus to preserve and identify biological samples at cryogenic conditions

Abstract

A container includes a vial, cap, and one or more wireless transponders secured to the cap, the vial or a jacket to store and identify samples of biological material at cryogenic temperatures (e.g., vitrified biological samples), for instance held by cryopreservation storage devices. A specimen holder may be extend from the cap. The vial and / or cap includes ports or vents. A carrier includes a box, thermal shunt, thermal insulation to store and identify arrays of containers that hold cryopreservation storage devices with samples of biological material at cryogenic temperatures. Various apparatus include wireless transponders positioned and oriented to enhance range, and allow interrogation while retained in a carrier. Various apparatus can maintain the biological material at or close to cryogenic temperatures for prolonged period of times after being removed from a cryogenic cooler, and can allow wireless inventorying while maintaining the biological samples at suitably cold temperatures.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus to maintain at least temporarily maintain biological samples (e.g., eggs, sperm, embryos) at cryogenic temperatures, and to facilitate identification of stored biological samples.BACKGROUNDDescription of the Related Art[0002]Long-term preservation of cells and tissues through cryopreservation has broad impacts in multiple fields including tissue engineering, fertility and reproductive medicine, regenerative medicine, stem cells, blood banking, animal strain preservation, clinical sample storage, transplantation medicine, and in vitro drug testing. This can include the process of vitrification in which a biological sample (e.g., an oocyte, an embryo, a biopsy) contained in or on a storage device (e.g., a cryopreservation straw, cryopreservation tube, stick or spatula) is rapidly cooled by placing the biological sample and the storage device in a substance, such as liquid nitrogen. This results in a glass-like ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system effectively maintains biological samples at cryogenic temperatures for extended periods, preventing viability loss and enabling efficient inventory management and identification, even when removed from cryogenic storage.

Problems solved by technology

The size of the cryopreservation storage devices and the storage conditions in liquid nitrogen generally require special labels, and even then can adversely affect the persistence of markings on the respective cryopreservation storage devices.

There is, however, little recordkeeping with regard to the proper storage of these biological samples.

For example, subsequent identification or otherwise handling of the vitrified biological sample can involve removal of the sample from temperature-controlled storage and exposure of the sample to ambient temperature, thus potentially risking the viability of the sample.

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