Capillary Vitrification Chamber for Low-Handling Sample Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vitrification processes for biological specimens, such as oocytes and embryos, are prone to sample damage and human error due to multiple handling steps and manipulation with micropipettes, which increases the risk of loss of activity and viability.
Innovation Solution
A vitrification device with a sample chamber, waste reservoir, and filtering mechanism that utilizes capillary action to retain samples while allowing fluid transfer, featuring a viewing window and a cap for sealing, and is made of materials resistant to liquid nitrogen for rapid freezing and thawing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional micropipetting manipulation is used for transferring samples, then fluid transfer can be achieved, but sample damage and human error increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual micropipetting operations with a capillary-driven fluid handling system. The device uses capillary wicking through a filter membrane to automatically draw fluids through the sample chamber, eliminating the need for manual pipetting and reducing sample damage from mechanical manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables self-service fluid handling through capillary action. The system automatically draws loading buffer, samples, and washing buffers through the sample chamber using capillary wicking through the filter membrane, without requiring external pipetting or manual intervention for fluid transfer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple handling steps are used for sample preparation, then fluid transfer and treatment can be performed, but the risk of sample damage and loss of activity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fluid handling operations into a single integrated device. The sample chamber with filter membrane allows loading, washing, and harvesting operations to be performed sequentially in the same chamber, eliminating the need to transfer samples between multiple containers and reducing cumulative damage risk.
3Reliability
If a filtering mechanism is introduced to retain samples, then sample retention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous filter membrane as the filtering mechanism. The membrane allows small molecules and fluids to pass through while retaining larger sample particles, achieving effective sample retention through the inherent porosity of the material rather than complex mechanical filters.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering mechanism leverages capillary wicking through the porous membrane rather than requiring complex mechanical pumping or filtration systems. The capillary forces in the porous material automatically drive fluid through the filter, simplifying the overall device structure.
4Productivity
If rapid freezing is achieved through liquid nitrogen exposure, then vitrification efficiency is improved, but the risk of thermal shock and sample damage may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of liquid nitrogen (from liquid to gas) for rapid freezing. When liquid nitrogen contacts the sample chamber, it rapidly vaporizes, extracting heat and freezing the sample quickly to achieve vitrification while the brief exposure time minimizes thermal shock damage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device minimizes sample damage and human error by using capillary action for fluid handling, ensuring rapid and efficient vitrification and thawing processes while maintaining sample integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the sample chamber, waste reservoir, and filtering mechanism are configured to draw fluid from the sample chamber through the filtering mechanism and into the waste reservoir via capillary action
Implementation Method 2
the viewing window is configured such that sample within the sample chamber is viewable through the viewing window
Implementation Method 3
the sample chamber comprises a thermal conducting material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are devices and related methods for rapidly freezing a sample using, for example, liquid nitrogen. The device includes an input portion with an input port, a sample chamber, a waste reservoir in fluid communication with the sample chamber, and a filtering mechanism that selectively allows a fluid introduced through the input port to pass through the sample chamber and into the waste reservoir, while retaining a sample within the sample chamber. The sample chamber, waste reservoir, and filtering mechanism are configured to draw fluid from the sample chamber through the filtering mechanism and into the waste reservoir via capillary action.