Freezing and preservation equipment

Abstract

To provide a cryopreservation device in which a liquid containing ovum or the like is surely held in a holding part so that there is no fear of leakage of the liquid containing ovum or the like even when an ovum preservation device is being handled, and the ovum or the like is automatically held in the center of a holding hole.SOLUTION: The cryopreservation device is an ovum preservation device 11 for preserving a reproductive cell such as an ovum and fertilized egg, and the ovum preservation device 11 comprises a device main body 12, an identification cap 13, and a protection cap 14. The device main body 12 comprises a rod-shaped part 15, a holding part 16, and a connecting part 17. A circular holding hole 16A is formed at a tip portion of the holding part 16 that has protruding grooves 16a extending in six directions. Holding holes 36A, 36B may be formed at a predetermined interval. The identification cap 13 is attached to the rod-shaped part 15 by inserting the latch part 17a of the connecting part 17 into a front end opening of the identification cap 13. The identification cap 13 incorporates an IC tag 21 and can be machine-readable, thereby achieving secure individual management.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cryopreservation tool used for cryopreserving germ cells such as human eggs, fertilized eggs (embryos), etc. and germ cells such as animal eggs, fertilized eggs (embryos), etc.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in infertility treatment, in vitro fertilization, which is a treatment in which eggs taken out of the body immediately before ovulation by egg collection surgery are fertilized with sperm outside the body, has been widely performed. The number of cases of in vitro fertilization has increased rapidly since around 2002, and the actual performance in 2013 was about 370,000 cases, and it is expected to exceed 700,000 cases in 2020.

[0003] Regarding in vitro fertilization, although the number of eggs handled in one treatment cycle is about 5 to 20, eggs and sperm of each patient are collected, processed, fertilized, cultured, (frozen) (stored), (thawed) and transplanted. At that time, the eggs and sperm of each patient must be correctly identified and processed, fertilized, cultured, etc. Of course, mistakes such as misidentification are not allowed. In addition, the procedures in () are the flow in the case of freezing fertilized eggs (embryos), storing them in a liquid nitrogen tank, and thawing them at the timing of transplantation.

[0004] In in vitro fertilization, ovulation-inducing agents are often used to obtain a plurality of high-quality eggs, but it has been found that this causes a deviation in the timing suitable for implantation. In fresh embryo transfer in which embryo transfer is performed in the cycle in which eggs are collected, this is a major problem. On the other hand, in frozen embryo transfer, the growth of the endometrium and the growth of fertilized eggs can be synchronized by hormonal supplementation. Therefore, a higher pregnancy rate can be obtained with frozen embryo transfer, and there is no concern about ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

[0005] In recent years, the technology for cryopreserving fertilized eggs (embryos) has advanced, and in addition to obtaining a pregnancy rate equivalent to that of fresh embryos, the merit of being able to flexibly set the transplantation time into the uterus has been recognized, and the proportion of in vitro fertilization using frozen embryos has increased significantly.

[0006] There are two main methods for freezing fertilized eggs (embryos): rapid vitrification and slow freezing. While slow freezing is the mainstream method in Europe and the United States, in Japan, the effectiveness of rapid vitrification has been recognized for over 10 years, and it is widely used in clinical practice. Recent improvements in this vitrification method have greatly contributed to the improvement in pregnancy rates with frozen embryos. If fertilized eggs (embryos) are frozen as is, the water contained inside the egg will form ice crystals, impairing cell function. However, if they are placed in a vitrification solution as a pretreatment, the cells are dehydrated and concentrated in about one minute. In this state, ice crystals will not form even if frozen, allowing for stable freezing.

[0007] An egg that has been fertilized is called a fertilized egg. This fertilized egg divides and becomes a 6-9 cell stage embryo after 3 days, at which point it is implanted in the uterus. In some cases, the embryo is cultured further until it matures into a blastocyst before being implanted. Currently, the mainstream treatment for in vitro fertilization (IVF) involves using frozen embryos, which are embryos that are ready for transplantation and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C.

[0008] During cryopreservation, sperm are injected into sperm storage containers such as sample tubes and straws, while fertilized eggs are held in egg storage devices such as CryoTop [a registered trademark of Kitasato Supply Co., Ltd.] which has a sheet portion, and Cryoloop which has a loop portion.

[0009] Then, multiple sperm storage containers and egg storage devices are held in a cane, and these multiple canes holding the sperm storage containers and other items are held in a canister, and these multiple canisters are stored in a cryopreservation tank. Here, the cryopreservation tank is filled with liquid nitrogen, and the object is cryopreserved at an extremely low temperature of -196°C in a liquid or gaseous atmosphere.

[0010] Previously, it was not permitted to freeze and store unfertilized eggs for future in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. However, recent legal revisions have made it possible to freeze and store unfertilized eggs for this purpose. As a result, it is expected that the number of cases in which unmarried women freeze and store their eggs will increase.

[0011] Conventional egg preservation devices 101, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, consist of a device body 102 and a protective cap 103, and the device body 102 consists of a rod-shaped part 104 and a sheet-like holding part 105 (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The rod-shaped portion 104 consists of a rectangular prism-shaped gripping portion 104a, which is grasped by the worker's fingers, and a cylindrical support portion 104b, which supports the holding portion 105.

[0012] Here, two types of configurations for the holding portion 105 are conventionally known.

[0013] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the holding portion 105 does not have holding holes, and the cryopreservation solution containing eggs is placed on the leading edge of the flat sheet surface. A representative product of this type is CryoTop [registered trademark] manufactured by Kitasato Corporation, which is used in many clinical settings.

[0014] In the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, a circular holding hole 115A is formed at the tip of the holding portion 115, which is a flat sheet surface, and the cryopreservation solution containing the eggs is stored and placed in this holding hole 115A. Representative products of this type include the Rapid-i (registered trademark) from Vitrolife and the CELL-SLEEPER-E (registered trademark) from Nipro Corporation.

[0015] To describe the second form of the holding part 115 in detail, as shown in Figure 12, the sheet-like holding part 115 has a minute-diameter holding hole 115A drilled at its tip. The egg-containing solution (freezing preservation solution containing eggs, etc.), in which eggs, fertilized eggs (embryos), etc. are immersed in the preservation solution, is dropped into this holding hole 115A, and the eggs, fertilized eggs (embryos), etc. are placed on the holding part 115.

[0016] Here, the retaining hole 115A is formed at the tip of the retaining portion 115, and its shape is circular with a diameter of approximately 0.35 mm.

[0017] Furthermore, in the egg preservation device 101, although there is no specific color requirement for the rod-shaped portion 104 of the device body 102, it was provided in multiple colors, anticipating the handling of multiple eggs, fertilized eggs (embryos), etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0018] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-315573 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3202440 Publication [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0019] As described above, the conventional egg preservation device 101 having a circular retaining hole 115A had one circular retaining hole 115A formed at the tip of the retaining part 115. Therefore, when an egg-containing solution was dropped onto it, the egg-containing solution was uniformly held within the retaining hole 115A by surface tension. However, since the egg-containing fluid is held by protruding convexly from the front and back surfaces of the holding portion 115, there is a problem that the holding force is somewhat weak, and there was a risk of the egg-containing fluid leaking out when handling the egg preservation device 101.

[0020] Moreover, when a liquid containing eggs or the like is dropped into the holding hole 115A, the liquid containing eggs or the like protrudes in a convex shape on the front and back surfaces of the holding hole 115A due to surface tension. Therefore, the eggs or the like contained therein are drawn into the peripheral end surface of the holding hole 115A rather than the center of the convex surface. Ideally, holding eggs or the like at the center of the holding hole 115A is effective for obtaining a high cooling rate. It is known that when the cooling rate increases, the damage to the thawed embryo decreases.

[0021] In addition, since the sheet-like holding part 115 in which the holding hole 115A is formed is usually molded from a transparent synthetic resin, it is impossible to accurately confirm the liquid volume of the liquid containing eggs or the like visually, and it is also difficult to confirm the holding position of eggs or the like. For this reason, there was a risk that the operation of dropping and inserting the liquid containing eggs or the like into the holding hole 115A would take a long time.

[0022] When placing eggs or the like on the holding part 115 and freezing them in liquid nitrogen, the holding part 115 is inserted into the protective cap 103 in the liquid nitrogen, and further inserted into the cylindrical support part 104b of the rod-shaped part 104 and fitted and fixed. When inserting the holding part 115 into the protective cap 103 in the liquid nitrogen, the liquid level of the liquid nitrogen fluctuates irregularly, and moisture in the air condenses to generate white smoke. Therefore, it is very difficult to see the opening of the protective cap 103 and the tip of the holding part 115. In this state, if the tip of the holding part 115 collides with the opening of the protective cap 103, there is a risk that the eggs or the like placed on the holding part 115 will fall off.

[0023] That is, if the operation of covering the protective cap 103 on the holding part 115 of the tool body 102 as described above is performed not in the liquid nitrogen but in a normal temperature environment, the risk of eggs or the like falling off will be eliminated.

[0024] On the other hand, in the egg preservation device 101, although multiple colors of synthetic resin were available for the rod-shaped portion 104, it was necessary to manually write information data such as the sample number, patient name, and collection date and time on one end of the rod-shaped portion 104, or to attach a label with this information data printed on it. Therefore, because embryologists visually check the writing area or label on the egg preservation device 101, there was a risk that they might misread the sample number or other information due to misinterpretation or memory lapse, resulting in the wrong sample being selected for treatment. Furthermore, because the egg preservation device 101 is in an extremely low temperature immediately after being removed from liquid nitrogen, moisture in the air turns into an opaque white frost that covers the surface of handwritten text and labels, making it difficult to read the information and increasing the risk of misreading.

[0025] The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems, and aims to provide a cryopreservation device suitable for individual management of germ cells, in which the oocyte-containing fluid is reliably held in the holding part of the oocyte preservation device, there is no risk of leakage of the oocyte-containing fluid when handling the oocyte preservation device, and when selecting an oocyte preservation device, the occurrence of misidentification of the sample to be treated is prevented, thereby greatly improving the work efficiency of embryologists. [Means for solving the problem]

[0026] To achieve the above objective, the cryopreservation device of the present invention is: A cryopreservation device for holding eggs or fertilized eggs, The retaining portion is characterized by having a circular retaining hole formed at its tip, with protruding grooves in six directions.

[0027] The retaining holes may be formed in multiple locations at predetermined intervals at the tip of the retaining portion.

[0028] The aforementioned retaining part is Made of synthetic resin that is colored with opaque colors or has been colored It is preferable that it be molded.

[0029] The aforementioned cryopreservation device consists of a device body, an identification cap, and a protective cap. The protective cap is fitted onto the device body at room temperature, covering it, and the cryopreservation device is frozen in liquid nitrogen while covered.

[0030] The tool body is composed of a rod-shaped part, a holding part, and a connecting part, and the identification cap is attached to the tool body by inserting the latch part of the connecting part into the front end opening of the identification cap, and the connecting part is connected to the identification cap to integrate them. Here, since the strength of the connecting part is high, in order to remove the identification cap, it is necessary to destroy the latch part of the connecting part.

[0031] The aforementioned identification cap is characterized by having an IC tag built inside.

[0032] Furthermore, it is preferable that the identification cap has the UID of the IC tag or a string linked to the UID printed on its surface, and that in the event that the IC tag cannot be read, it backs up information such as the egg.

[0033] Furthermore, the rod-shaped portion may have its surface colored with an identifying color, or may be molded from a colored synthetic resin.

[0034] The present invention also relates to the aforementioned Cryopreservation equipment When a fluid containing oocytes is injected into the retention pore, the oocytes contained within are kept in a state where they are located in the center of the retention pore. Cryopreservation equipment The present invention also provides a mounting base for horizontally placing and holding the device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to the egg preservation device of the present invention, the liquid containing eggs, etc., is securely held in the holding part, and there is no risk of the liquid containing eggs, etc., leaking out when handling the egg preservation device.

[0036] Furthermore, since multiple unfertilized eggs and fertilized eggs (embryos) can be held in a single device, efficient storage is possible.

[0037] Furthermore, the egg-containing liquid that is dropped into the holding hole, which is fitted with protruding grooves that radiate outwards in six directions, is drawn in by capillary action, causing the surface of the egg-containing liquid in the holding hole to curve into a concave shape. As a result, the eggs and other cells floating in the solution are attracted to the center where the solution is thinner.

[0038] By being held in the center of the holding hole, the cooling rate when placed in liquid nitrogen is maximized. While the central part of the liquid is in contact only with liquid nitrogen, the surrounding area is in contact with the resin holding the liquid, resulting in a slower cooling rate than the center, which is detrimental to preventing damage to eggs and other cells due to freezing.

[0039] To position the egg or other oocyte in the center of the holding cavity, the holding part needs to be kept perfectly horizontal. However, when placed on a table with the protective cap attached, it tilts because the dimensions of the front and back parts are different. In that case, the storage equipment can be easily kept level by using a dedicated stand.

[0040] Furthermore, by fitting the protective cap at room temperature, the risk of the holding part hitting the protective cap is eliminated compared to working in liquid nitrogen, thus preventing the eggs or other contents stored in the holding part from falling out.

[0041] According to the cryopreservation device of the present invention, embryologists can machine-read the UID of the IC tag or the information recorded on the IC tag using an IC tag reader, rather than visually inspecting it. Therefore, situations where the wrong sample is selected for treatment due to human error, such as misreading or memory lapse, are prevented.

[0042] Furthermore, as a backup in the event that the information stored in the IC tag becomes unreadable due to a malfunction or other reason, the UID of the IC tag or an ID string associated with the UID is printed on the surface of the identification cap containing the IC tag. This ID string is written to the IC tag's memory and simultaneously stored in the manufacturing database as manufacturing data recorded for each individual item during production. Therefore, by visually confirming this printed string and entering it into the system, it is possible to retrieve information about the egg preservation device with the IC tag.

[0043] Furthermore, the gripping area has been designed with sufficient surface area to accommodate cases where minimal information, such as the patient's name and egg ID, may need to be entered for backup purposes.

[0044] Furthermore, by attaching IC tags, the length of the holding section could be shortened, making it possible to store egg preservation equipment in two layers, upper and lower, on the cane. As a result, the number of liquid nitrogen tanks that can be stored per tank has doubled, and the reduction in the number of liquid nitrogen tanks required is also very significant.

[0045] According to the mounting stand of the present invention, when an egg-containing solution is injected into the holding hole of the egg preservation device, the egg preservation device can be placed and held horizontally in such a way that the contained egg remains centered within the holding hole. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0046] [Figure 1] In one embodiment of the egg preservation device of the present invention, (A) is a perspective view showing the device body, identification cap, and protective cap separated, and (B) is a perspective view showing the identification cap and protective cap attached to the device body. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the egg preservation device with the device body and identification cap separated. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows an egg preservation device, with (A) being a plan view showing one end of the holding part and the rod-shaped part, and (B) being an enlarged plan view showing the tip of the holding part. [Figure 4] (A) is a plan view showing one end of the holding portion and the rod-shaped portion of another embodiment of the egg preservation device of the present invention, and (B) is an enlarged plan view showing the tip of the holding portion. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows an egg preservation device; (A) is a perspective view of the identification cap, and (B) is a perspective view showing how to attach an IC tag to the identification cap. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows the identification cap as follows: (A) a partially cutaway plan view, (B) a partially cutaway front view, (C) a left side view, and (D) a right side view. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram of the storage method for the egg preservation device, where (A) is a front view of the egg preservation device shown in Figure 1, and (B) is a perspective view of the cane with the egg preservation device housed inside. [Figure 8](A) is a perspective view, (B) is a side view, and (C) is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the holding hole at the tip of the holding part of the egg preservation device, with the egg preservation device placed and held on the mounting platform. [Figure 9] In one embodiment of a conventional egg preservation device, (A) is a perspective view showing the device body and protective cap separated, and (B) is a perspective view showing the protective cap attached to the device body. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the main body of the egg preservation device. [Figure 11] Figure 9 shows an egg preservation device, with (A) being a plan view showing one end of the holding part and the rod-shaped part, and (B) being an enlarged plan view showing the tip of the holding part. [Figure 12] (A) is a plan view showing one end of the holding part and the rod-shaped part of another embodiment of a conventional egg preservation device, and (B) is an enlarged plan view showing the tip of the holding part. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0047] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the cryopreservation device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0048] The cryopreservation device of the present invention is an egg preservation device 11 for holding germ cells such as eggs and fertilized eggs (embryos), and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it consists of a device body 12, an identification cap 13, and a protective cap 14.

[0049] The main body of the device 12 consists of a rod-shaped part 15, a holding part 16 for placing and holding germ cells such as eggs and fertilized eggs (embryos), and a connecting part 17 for connecting the identification cap 13.

[0050] The rod-shaped portion 15 consists of a rectangular prism-shaped gripping portion 15a that is grasped by the worker's fingers, and a cylindrical support portion 15b connected to its front end.

[0051] The holding portion 16 is made of a thin synthetic resin sheet, and its tip is designed to hold and support reproductive cells such as eggs and fertilized eggs (embryos).

[0052] The connecting portion 17 is connected to the rear end of the gripping portion 15a, and the rear end is formed as a latch portion 17a.

[0053] The identification cap 13 has a rectangular cylindrical shape and is formed with a front end opening 13a and a rear end opening 13b. Then, when the latch portion 17a of the connecting portion 17 is inserted into the front end opening 13a of the identification cap 13, the claws of the latch portion 17a open, and the rod-shaped portion 15a of the gripping portion 15 and the identification cap 13 are firmly connected.

[0054] The protective cap 14 is cylindrical in shape, with both ends open, forming openings 14a and 14b. Then, by inserting the tip of the holding part 16 through the opening 14a, the opening 14a reaches the base end of the cylindrical support part 15b of the rod-shaped part 15 and stops, allowing the holding part 16 to be covered and protected by the protective cap 14.

[0055] [Embodiment 1] Here, as shown in Figure 3(A), the holding portion 16 consists of a long rectangular thin plate, with a width of 1.4 mm, a length of 13.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm, and is molded from a transparent or opaque color such as black or dark blue, or from a synthetic resin.

[0056] As shown in Figure 3, a small-diameter circular retaining hole 16A with an inner diameter of 0.35 mm is formed at the tip of the retaining part 16, and protruding grooves 16a with a width of 0.07 mm and a length of 0.12 mm are attached radially in six directions from the retaining hole 16A.

[0057] With this holding part 16, the egg-containing liquid dropped into the six radially protruding grooves 16a is drawn in by capillary action, causing the liquid surface of the egg-containing liquid in the holding hole 16A to curve into a concave shape. As a result, the liquid containing the egg is securely held in the holding hole 16A, and there is no risk of the egg-containing liquid leaking out when handling the egg preservation device.

[0058] [Embodiment 2] Furthermore, the retaining portion 36 may consist of a thin plate having a long rectangular shape, as shown in Figure 4(A), with a width of 1.4 mm, a length of 13.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm, and may have a plurality of retaining holes 36A, 36B formed at its tip.

[0059] Here, the retaining holes 36A and 36B are small-diameter circular holes with an inner diameter of 0.35 mm, similar to the retaining hole 16A, and are provided with protruding grooves 36a and 36b with a width of 0.07 mm and a length of 0.12 mm, radiating in six directions. Furthermore, the distance between retaining hole 36A and retaining hole 36B is set to 2.2 mm.

[0060] With this holding part 36, each holding hole 36A, 36B performs the above-described function and effect, allowing multiple unfertilized eggs or fertilized eggs (embryos) to be held in a single storage device, enabling efficient individual management.

[0061] On the other hand, the identification cap 13, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, has a rectangular cylindrical shape and is formed with a front end opening 13a and a rear end opening 13b. Furthermore, a tapered latch insertion space 25 is formed inside the front side portion, extending from the front end opening 13a, and a window hole 25a is formed on the side of the intermediate portion. Furthermore, an IC tag interior space 26 is formed inside the rear section, extending from the rear end opening 13b.

[0062] Then, when the latch portion 17a of the connecting portion 17 is inserted into the front end opening 13a of the identification cap 13, the latch portion 17a is inserted into the latch portion insertion space 25, and then the claws of the latch portion 17a open and protrude from the window hole 25a, so that the rod-shaped portion 15a of the gripping portion 15 and the identification cap 13 are firmly connected.

[0063] Furthermore, the IC tag 21 is inserted into the IC tag interior space 26 through the rear end opening 13b of the identification cap 13, pushed in until it reaches the closed end, and then the sealing member 22 is inserted through the rear end opening 13b to fix and attach the IC tag 21.

[0064] As described above, by attaching the IC tag 21 to the egg preservation device 11, the length of the rod-shaped portion 15 could be shortened, making it possible to store the egg preservation device 11 in the upper and lower storage compartments 42, 42 of the cane 41, as shown in Figure 7.

[0065] As a result, the number of egg preservation devices that can be stored per liquid nitrogen tank has doubled, and the reduction in the number of liquid nitrogen tanks is also very significant.

[0066] The IC tag 21, which is installed inside the identification cap 13, stores information data such as the sample number, patient name, and collection date and time. Alternatively, a method may be used in which the UID of the IC tag 21, or an ID associated with the UID, is linked to patient data or egg information in the management system's database.

[0067] With the identification cap 13 fitted with the IC tag 21, embryologists can machine-read the UID of the IC tag 21 or the information recorded on the IC tag 21 using an IC tag reader, rather than relying on visual inspection. Therefore, situations where the wrong specimen is selected for treatment due to human error, such as misreading or memory lapse, are prevented.

[0068] Alternatively, the UID of the IC tag 21 or a string associated with the UID may be printed on the surface of the identification cap 13, as shown in Figure 5. Furthermore, the ID associated with the UID is recorded in the memory of the IC tag 21.

[0069] According to this, if the IC tag 21 malfunctions or for any other reason makes it impossible to read the information stored in the IC tag 21, the UID of the IC tag 21 or the ID string associated with the UID printed on the surface of the identification cap 13 can be visually confirmed and entered into the system, thereby allowing the information of the egg preservation device 11 with the IC tag 21 attached to it to be retrieved.

[0070] Furthermore, the gripping portion 15a has sufficient area to accommodate cases where minimal information for backup purposes, such as the patient's name and egg ID, is to be entered.

[0071] Furthermore, when placing and holding a large number of egg preservation devices 11 during the operation, it is preferable to use a mounting stand 51 as shown in Figure 8.

[0072] As shown in Figure 8, the mounting base 51 has multiple retaining grooves 52a formed at the upper end of the rectangular housing 52, and horizontal adjustment legs 53 fixed to the bottom surface. In addition, a spirit level 54 is provided at an appropriate position on the top surface.

[0073] Therefore, by rotating the horizontal adjustment legs 53 as needed to adjust the height and checking the spirit level 54, the upper end of the mounting base 51 can be set to a horizontal position. In a horizontal position, the egg preservation device 11, into which the egg-containing solution has been dropped into the holding hole 16A, is fitted into the holding groove 52a of the mounting base 51 and placed on top, thereby allowing the egg-containing solution E to be easily positioned in the center of the holding hole 16A, as shown in Figure 8(C).

[0074] The present invention has been described above, but is not limited to these embodiments. As long as it does not deviate from the essence of the invention, various variations in the material, shape, dimensions, etc., of the components can be adopted.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the retaining holes 16A, 36A, and 36B are circular holes, and protruding grooves 16a, 36a, and 36a are formed radially around them in six directions at equal angles. However, protruding grooves may be formed in multiple directions, such as four, five, or eight directions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 11 Egg preservation equipment 12 Main body of the equipment 13 Identification Cap 13a Front end opening 13b Rear end opening 14 Protective cap 15 Rod 15a Grip part 15b Support part 16 Holding part 16A holding hole 16a protruding groove 17 connecting part 17a latch part 21 IC tag 36 holding part 36A holding hole 36a protruding groove 36B holding hole 36b protruding groove

Claims

1. A cryopreservation device for holding eggs or fertilized eggs, characterized in that a circular holding hole is formed at the tip of the holding part, with six protruding grooves.

2. The cryopreservation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding holes are formed in a plurality at predetermined intervals at the tip of the holding portion.

3. The cryopreservation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding portion is colored with an opaque color or molded from a colored synthetic resin.

4. The cryopreservation device comprises a device body, an identification cap, and a protective cap, and the device body comprises a rod-shaped part, a holding part, and a connecting part. The cryopreservation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the identification cap is attached to the device body by inserting the latch portion of the connecting portion into the front end opening of the identification cap.

5. The cryopreservation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the identification cap has an IC tag built inside.

6. The cryopreservation device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the rod-shaped portion is colored with an identifiable color on its surface or molded from a colored synthetic resin.

7. A mounting platform for horizontally holding the cryopreservation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, used to correctly position an egg or fertilized egg in the center of the holding hole.

Images