Determination of biological characteristics of embryos fertilized in vitro by assaying for bioactive lipids in culture media
AssigneeAtairginTechnologies, Inc.
InventorJeff A. Parrott
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods for determining various biological characteristics of in vitro fertilized embryos, including overall embryo health, implantability, and increased likelihood of developing successfully to term. More specifically, the present invention concerns analyzing media specimens of in vitro fertilization cultures for levels of bioactive lipids in order to determine these characteristics.
Claims45
A method for evaluating a biological characteristic in an in vitro fertilized embryo, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a media specimen from an in vitro culture containing the embryo;
- (b) measuring a concentration of one or more bioactive lipids in the media specimen;
- (c) comparing the concentration to a pre-determined level of the detected bioactive lipid;
- and
- (d) correlating the concentration to a biological characteristic in the embryo.
A method for evaluating a biological characteristic in an in vitro fertilized embryo, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a media specimen from an in vitro culture containing the embryo at two or more time intervals;
- (b) measuring the combination of one or more bioactive lipids in each of the media specimens,
- (c) calculating the change in level of the bioactive lipids in the media specimen over the two or more time intervals;
- and
- (d) correlating the change obtained in step (c) to a biological characteristic of the embryo.
A pre-packaged analytic kit for measuring levels of at least one glycerophosphatidyl compounds in media specimen from an in vitro fertilized embryo culture comprising:
- a glycerophosphatidyl compound phosphodiesterase;
- glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase;
- glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase;
- and
- instructions for carrying out the analysis,
- wherein the components of the kit are packaged together in a container.
A pre-packaged analytic kit for measuring levels of at least one lysophospholipid in a media specimen from an in vitro fertilized embryo culture comprising:
- a lysophospholipase;
- a glycerophosphatidyl compound phosphodiesterase;
- a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase;
- a glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase;
- and
- instructions for carrying out the analysis,
- wherein the components of the kit are packaged together in a container.
A pre-packaged analytic kit for measuring levels of glycerophosphatidyl choline in a media specimen from an in vitro fertilized embryo culture comprising:
- a glycerophosphatidylcholine phosphodiesterase;
- choline oxidase;
- peroxidase;
- and
- instructions for carrying out the analysis,
- wherein the components of the kit are packaged together in a container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.