Automated Microchannel Bovine Culture Parameter Studies

描述（由申请人提供）：当前IVP方法的一个重要限制是以高度精确和可重复的方式进行涉及大量胚胎和重复实验的能力。目前的方法是费力的，低效的，并依赖于技术人员的技能。微通道胚胎培养实现了自动化的高通量处理，因为胚胎不被移动，而是被保存在一个“停车的地方”。这允许通过自动化系统交换液体，而不是试图自动化胚胎操作。我们建议开发一种自动化的微通道胚胎培养系统，以便快速优化微通道培养条件。该系统利用市售的自动化液体处理设备，结合定制的孵化室和数字可视化系统。所提出的自动化微通道培养系统（AMCS）的具体优点包括使用微通道培养装置（Vitae Cell TM），它有利于自动化处理，并允许人们实现温和的培养基变化，一个消除气体浓度和温度扰动的封闭系统，机器人控制的培养基变化和可视化消除了操作员的可变性。该系统最初将用于优化牛胚胎培养。我们建议研究微通道系统中培养基（单次或连续）、培养基补充（按流量）、气体气氛、胚胎体积比和培养基补充等参数，并与标准微滴进行比较。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An important limitation of current IVP methods is the ability to perform experiments involving large numbers of embryos and repetitions in a highly accurate and repeatable way. Current methods are laborious, inefficient and depend on the skill of the technician. Micro channel embryo culture enables automated high throughput processing because the embryo is not moved, but rather held in a "parking place." This allows the fluid to be exchanged via automated systems rather than attempting to automate embryo manipulation. We propose to develop an automated micro channel embryo culture system to allow rapid optimization of micro channel culture conditions. The system utilizes commercially available automated liquid handling equipment combined with a custom incubation chamber and a digital visualization system. Specific advantages of the proposed automated micro channel culture system (AMCS) include the use of micro channel culture devices (Vitae Cell TM) which facilitates automated processing and allows one to achieve gentle medium changes, a closed system that eliminates perturbations in gas concentrations and temperature, robotically controlled medium changes and visualization eliminating operator variability. The system will initially be used to optimize bovine embryo culture. We propose to investigate parameters such as medium (single vs. sequential), medium replenishment (by flow), gas atmosphere, embryo-to-volume ratio, and medium supplementation in the micro channel system compared to the standard micro-drop.