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US 2003/0172392 A1Published application
Methods for injecting avian eggs
AssigneeEmbrex, Inc.
InventorsNandini Mendu, Molly Bland, Stephen Wolfe, John Hebrank, Dipak Mahato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides improved methods of injecting an avian egg containing an embryo, preferably an early embryo (e.g., a blastoderm). The methods of the invention may be used to deliver a substance to an egg, remove a sample from an egg, and/or to insert a detector device into an egg to collect information therefrom. In preferred embodiments, the invention is used to deliver a substance to the embryo in ovo. In other preferred embodiments, the invention is used to produce chimeric or transgenic avian embryos in ovo.
Claims65
A method of injecting an avian egg, comprising the steps of:
- orienting an avian egg containing a blastoderm in a predetermined position;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg;
- extending a device through the small opening in the egg shell;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the device therethrough;
- and
- retracting the device from the egg.
3 more elements
A method of injecting an avian egg, comprising:
- orienting a blunt end of an avian egg in a predetermined position, the avian egg containing (i) a blastoderm and (ii) an air cell;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg at the blunt end of the egg over the air cell;
- introducing a small opening in an outer shell membrane under the small opening in the egg shell;
- extending a delivery device through the small openings in the egg shell and the outer shell membrane;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the delivery device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the delivery device therethrough;
- releasing a substance through the delivery device and depositing the substance in a location in the blastoderm or in close proximity thereto;
- and
- retracting the delivery device from the egg.
5 more elements
A method of injecting a plurality of avian eggs, comprising the steps of:
- orienting a plurality of avian eggs in a predetermined position, wherein each egg contains a blastoderm;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of each egg;
- extending a delivery device through the opening in each egg shell;
- piercing an inner shell membrane of each egg with the delivery device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the delivery device therethrough;
- releasing a substance through the delivery device and depositing the substance in a location in the blastoderm or in close proximity thereto in each egg;
- and
- retracting the delivery device from each egg.
4 more elements
A method of producing a chimeric bird, comprising the steps of:
- orienting an avian egg containing a blastoderm in a predetermined position;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg;
- extending a delivery device through the small opening in the egg shell;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the delivery device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the delivery device therethrough;
- releasing an avian donor cell through the delivery device and depositing the donor cell into the blastoderm or in close proximity thereto under conditions sufficient to result in a chimeric embryo;
- retracting the delivery device from the egg;
- incubating the chimeric embryo to hatch to produce a chimeric bird.
4 more elements
A method of producing a transgenic bird, comprising the steps of:
- orienting an avian egg containing a blastoderm in a predetermined position;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg;
- extending a delivery device through the small opening in the egg shell;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the delivery device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the delivery device therethrough;
- releasing a substance comprising a nucleotide sequence through the delivery device and depositing the substance into the blastoderm or in close proximity thereto under conditions sufficient to result in a transgenic embryo;
- retracting the delivery device from the egg;
- incubating the transgenic embryo to hatch to produce a transgenic bird.
4 more elements
A method of injecting an avian egg, comprising the steps of:
- orienting a blunt end of an avian egg in a predetermined position, the avian egg containing (i) a blastoderm and (ii) an air cell;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg at the blunt end of the egg over the air cell;
- introducing a small opening in an outer shell membrane under the small opening in the egg shell;
- extending a sampling device through the small openings in the egg shell and the outer shell membrane;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the sampling device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the sampling device therethrough;
- removing a sample from the blastoderm with the sampling device;
- and
- retracting the sampling device from the egg.
5 more elements
A method of injecting an avian egg, comprising the steps of:
- orienting a blunt end of an avian egg in a predetermined position, the avian egg containing (i) a blastoderm and (ii) an air cell;
- introducing a small opening into a shell of the egg at the blunt end of the egg over the air cell;
- introducing a small opening in an outer shell membrane under the small opening in the egg shell;
- extending a detector device through the small openings in the egg shell and the outer shell membrane;
- piercing an inner shell membrane with the detector device, wherein the inner shell membrane is essentially intact prior to inserting the detector device therethrough;
- detecting with the detector device information from the interior of the egg;
- and
- retracting the detector device from the egg.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.