Portfolio
In vitro fertilisation laboratory
Equipment, culture media and consumables for daily embryology work.
Where it is used
- Oocyte retrieval and semen preparation
- Conventional fertilisation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- Embryo culture to blastocyst
- Embryo biopsy for genetic testing
- Vitrification, storage and warming
- Embryo transfer
- Quality control and laboratory environment monitoring
Product types
Incubation
An incubator keeps the embryo in a stable environment, with controlled temperature, gas and humidity, for the entire time it is outside the mother's body. A time-lapse incubator photographs the embryo at frequent intervals without removing it from that environment, allowing the timing of cell division to be observed without disturbing the culture. This reduces disturbance during observation, though it has not been shown to clearly improve live birth rates compared with conventional incubation.
Micromanipulation
A micromanipulation system lets the embryologist steer micropipettes with precision under a microscope. In intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the micropipette delivers a single sperm directly into the oocyte's cytoplasm, bypassing the zona pellucida and the cell membrane, and is used when conventional fertilisation has failed or sperm quality is poor. A laser system serves two distinct purposes: controlled thinning or opening of the zona pellucida to help the blastocyst hatch, and creating an opening to remove cells for genetic testing.
Observation and the working environment
Microscopes and imaging systems assess the morphology of oocytes and embryos at each stage. Heated surfaces and blocks maintain body temperature during handling outside the incubator, when the embryo is most sensitive to fluctuation. Laboratory workstations provide a controlled environment for the handling itself, while air filtration and monitoring keep volatile organic compounds and particulates under control, since embryos are sensitive to both even in small amounts.
Culture media
Culture media are specific to the stage of development and are not interchangeable: fertilisation medium supports the first day after the oocyte is collected, cleavage medium supports cell division up to the eight-cell stage, and blastocyst medium supports extended culture through to the day of transfer. Vitrification uses a sequence of specialised media, not one, in equilibration and then vitrification steps, which prepare the embryo or oocyte for rapid freezing. Andrology medium prepares and selects sperm before insemination or injection.
Labware and consumables
Culture dishes and plates hold the medium's droplets during incubation, while micropipettes are used to handle oocytes and embryos under the microscope. Aspiration and flushing needles are used to collect oocytes during the follicular retrieval procedure. Embryo transfer catheters deliver the embryo into the uterine cavity with minimal trauma, and cryopreservation carriers hold and label the material during vitrification and subsequent storage.
Categories and their use
| Category | Used for |
|---|---|
| Incubators, including time-lapse incubators | Maintenance of controlled culture conditions |
| Micromanipulation systems | Intracytoplasmic injection and biopsy under the microscope |
| Laser systems | Opening of the zona pellucida and biopsy |
| Microscopes and imaging systems | Assessment of oocytes and embryos |
| Heated surfaces and warming blocks | Temperature maintenance during handling |
| Laboratory workstations | Controlled environment for handling gametes and embryos |
| Air filtration and monitoring | Maintenance and monitoring of laboratory air quality |
| Fertilisation, culture and handling media | Support of gametes and embryos at each stage |
| Vitrification and warming media | Rapid freezing and thawing of material |
| Andrology media | Preparation and processing of semen samples |
| Culture oils | Overlay of culture drops |
| Culture dishes and plates | Holding culture drops during incubation |
| Micropipettes | Handling of oocytes and embryos |
| Aspiration and flushing needles | Oocyte retrieval |
| Embryo transfer catheters | Transfer of the embryo into the uterine cavity |
| Cryopreservation carriers and straws | Holding and labelling of vitrified material |
Every item here is supplied, installed, serviced and supported, with training included at handover.