Micromanipulation and Storage Apparatus and Methods
AssigneeGenea Limited
InventorsChester John Henderson, Craig Matthew Lewis, Tammie Kim Roy, Eduardo Vom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for micromanipulation of biological material, said apparatus including a vessel 1 having a reservoir 2 wherein said vessel has a channel 3 formed in a portion of said reservoir, said channel including an intermediate restriction 4 dimensioned to resist passage of said biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions.
Claims18
1-21. (canceled)
A method of cryopreservation of biological material comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus including a vessel having a reservoir wherein said vessel has a channel formed in a portion of said reservoir, said channel including an intermediate restriction dimensioned to resist passage of said biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions, and said channel including sub-reservoirs at either end of said restriction;
- introducing said biological material into a reservoir region of said apparatus for capture in a channel region of said vessel;
- irrigating and draining said biological material with a series of vitrification solutions introduced into a first of said sub-reservoirs and removed from a second of said sub-reservoirs;
- final draining said irrigation solutions from said vessel;
- and
- vitrifying said vessel and captive biological material.
A method of cryopreservation of biological material comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus including a vessel having a reservoir wherein said vessel has a channel formed in a portion of said reservoir, said channel including an intermediate restriction dimensioned to resist passage of said biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions, and said channel including sub-reservoirs at either end of said restriction;
- introducing said biological material into a reservoir region of said apparatus for capture in a channel region of said vessel;
- irrigating and draining said biological material with a single vitrification solution gradually introduced into a first of said sub-reservoirs and removed from a second of said sub-reservoirs;
- and
- vitrifying said vessel and captive biological material.
A method for pre-vitrification treatment of a biological material, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus including a vessel having a reservoir wherein said vessel has a channel formed in a portion of said reservoir, said channel including an intermediate restriction dimensioned to resist passage of said biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions;
- introducing said biological material into a reservoir region of said apparatus for capture in a channel region of said vessel;
- and
- irrigating and draining said biological material with culturing or pre-vitrification solutions and fluidics.
A method of thawing a vitrified biological material, said method comprising the steps of:
- withdrawing a biological material vitrified in an apparatus from a cooling solution, said apparatus including a vessel having a reservoir wherein said vessel has a channel formed in a portion of said reservoir, said channel including an intermediate restriction dimensioned to resist passage of said biological material but allow passage of liquid treatment solutions;
- thawing the vessel of said apparatus and said biological material by application of heat in a heated solution, applying heat to the surface of said vessel or surrounding air of said vessel;
- irrigating and draining said captive biological material with a series of thawing solutions introduced and removed from a reservoir region of said vessel;
- draining said irrigation solutions;
- and
- recovering thawed biological material from said vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.