Description

Each embryo culture dish is wrapped in a sealable foil bag designed for non-permeability of oxygen and carbon dioxide. After filling with the appropriate gas mixture, the bags are heat-sealed and submerged into a water bath; thus each culture dish exists as an individual incubator, using water instead of air as a heat mediator.

Advantages of System

• Stability and quick recovery of temperature and gas mixture;
• Humidity stability;
• Minimal risk of contamination between dishes;
• Maintains flexibility through use of different gas mixtures;
• Technical simplicity;
• Cost efficient;
• Simple calibration: water temperature only:
• Microscope observation without disturbing the gas mixture is made possible through the use of transparent foil.

Application

The Submarine Incubator System provides a more stable environment than any other incubator currently on the market, and an excellent environment for all sensitive tissues and cells.

To validate the system's efficacy, sensitive cells and tissues such as bovine oocytes and embryos were used in a laboratory, during which all phases of oocyte maturation, fertilisation and embryo development were performed with high efficiency . Cumulative results showed approximately 50% blastocytes/oocytes (based on more than 3,000 oocytes).

Moreover, expired and sterile filtered human lung air containing approximately 4% CO2, 16-17% O2 and high humidity proved a successful gas atmosphere for all phases of bovine embryo development.

Instructions for use

Loading

The embryo culture dish (preferably a four-well dish from Nunc) containing the embryos is inserted into the transparent or non-transparent foil bag (supplied by LEC Instruments). The bag is then heat-sealed (Fig. 1, line a). When transparent foil is used, 1 ml of sterile paraffin oil is first spread on the bottom of the bag to ensure close contact between the foil and dish to increase the optical clarity at inverted microscopic observations. The appropriate gas mixture is filled using an injection needle attached to a tube which provides the sterile filtered, pre-warmed and humidified gas mixture (either industrially produced or expired human lung air). The needle is inserted into the foil bag (Fig. 1 dot b), the bag is filled with the gas mixture, the needle is removed and the gas is pressed out by hand at moderate pressure. Filling is repeated twice and the hole from the needle is sealed (fig. 1 line c) before the bag is placed on the shelf of the Submarine Incubator System. It is then slowly submerged into the water bath. The bags may be kept undisturbed in the bath for up to 7 days (non-transparent foil) or 3 days for (transparent foil).

Fig.1

Fig.2

Removal

Carefully lift rack from the water bath. The foil bag needed is removed from the rack and cut open with scissors.

Maintenance

De-ionized water is used for the bath. The water level should be adjusted weekly, and the supplied disinfectant (Chorogenium) added. Every six months, empty the bath, wash it with 70% ethanol, then dry the entire incubator. The above procedure should be repeated each time the incubator is stopped for more than one day.

Specifications of system

Capacity: 6 racks x 4 shelves	24 foil bags
Temperature control	<0.1 oC
Temperature range	20 to 40 oC
Voltage	120 or 220 V AC
Power	550 W Max.
Power consumption, typically	<100 W
Size: LWH in cm	70 x 35 x 28
Weight (empty)	20 Kg
Water capacity	50 l
Price	<USD5550
CE Compliance	not yet

 

Manufactured by:

LEC Instruments Pty. Ltd.

8 Doris Court

SCORESBY VIC 3179

AUSTRALIA

PHONE: +61 3 9763 0080 FAX: +61 3 9764 0086

Also available from:

CHINA, Guangzhou BioMedical Instrument Co.Ltd., Phone 20 39601885, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

KOREA, Seoul: DayMoon Industries, Inc. Phone: +82-2-478-6147/8, FAX: +82-2-489-0250, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

SOUTH AFRIA, PRETORIA.Labretoria: Phone: +27-12-460-22491, Fax: +27-12-460-4113, E mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

TAIWAN R.O.C., Lifetec Science Inc. Phone: 2 23650026, www.lifetec.com.tw