Abstract: An apparatus comprising a culture dish and a removable lid, wherein the culture dish comprises a main body having a side wall defining a reservoir region for receiving a quantity of liquid media, and the removable lid is arranged to cover the reservoir region during normal use, wherein the lid comprises a gas permeable material and includes an engagement portion formed of a resilient material adapted to cooperatively engage with the side wall of the main body of the culture dish so as to compress a part of the engagement portion of the removable lid against the side wall to form a vapour-tight seal for the reservoir region when the removable lid is coupled to the culture dish. The lid fitted to the culture dish enables a substantial portion of the culturing media to remain in the environment enclosed between the reservoir and the lid without use of a cover media to limit evaporation while allowing gaseous exchange therethrough.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid probes, nucleic acid probe libraries, and kits for detecting, classifying, or quantitating components in a complex mixture of nucleic acids, such as a transcriptome, and methods of using the same. The invention also relates to methods of identifying nucleic acid probes useful in the probe libraries and to methods of identifying a means for detection of a given nucleic acid.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a culture dish and a removable lid, wherein the culture dish comprises a main body having a side wall defining a reservoir region for receiving a quantity of liquid media, and the removable lid is arranged to cover the reservoir region during normal use, wherein the lid comprises a gas permeable material and includes an engagement portion formed of a resilient material adapted to cooperatively engage with the side wall of the main body of the culture dish so as to compress a part of the engagement portion of the removable lid against the side wall to form a vapour-tight seal for the reservoir region when the removable lid is coupled to the culture dish. The lid fitted to the culture dish enables a substantial portion of the culturing media to remain in the environment enclosed between the reservoir and the lid without use of a cover media to limit evaporation while allowing gaseous exchange therethrough.

Abstract: A tray (100; 400; 500; 600) for accommodating a cell culture (101), such as an embryo, for use during culturing thereof and for optical monitoring of the cell culture, e.g. during in vitro fertilization comprises a carrier structure (104;404;504;604) defining at least one accommodating zone (102; 402; 502; 602) for accommodating the cell culture. At least one focal lens (110; 410; 510; 610), notably a numerical aperture increasing lens is integrally formed with the carrier structure to facilitate monitoring of the cell culture through the carrier structure. A diameter of the focal lens may exceed a diameter of the at least one accommodating zone. The focal lens may be integrally molded with the carrier structure from a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid probes, nucleic acid probe libraries, and kits for detecting, classifying, or quantitating components in a complex mixture of nucleic acids, such as a transcriptome, and methods of using the same. The invention also relates to methods of identifying nucleic acid probes useful in the probe libraries and to methods of identifying a means for detection of a given nucleic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method for performing monitoring and/or cultivation of microscopic objects. Microscopic objects are in particular microscopic organisms like bacteria and cell cultures, such as cultivation objects like tissue samples and embryos, providing optimal and safe cultivation conditions for incubation during embryo development and for facilitating the selection of optimal embryos to be used in vitro fertilization (IVF) by facilitating embryo handling for automated digital imaging and time-lapse microscopy.

Abstract: A tray (100; 400; 500; 600) for accommodating a cell culture (101), such as an embryo, for use during culturing thereof and for optical monitoring of the cell culture, e.g. during in vitro fertilization comprises a carrier structure (104;404;504;604) defining at least one accommodating zone (102; 402; 502; 602) for accommodating the cell culture. At least one focal lens (110; 410; 510; 610), notably a numerical aperture increasing lens is integrally formed with the carrier structure to facilitate monitoring of the cell culture through the carrier structure. A diameter of the focal lens may exceed a diameter of the at least one accommodating zone. The focal lens may be integrally moulded with the carrier structure from a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to a system for selecting embryos for in vitro fertilization based on observed cell kinetics and cell morphology. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for determining embryo quality comprising monitoring the embryo for a time period, said time period comprising the transformation of the embryo from initial compaction or morula to blastocyst and determining one or more blastocyst quality criteria for said embryo, and based on said one or more blastocyst quality criteria determining the embryo quality.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system arranged for assisting secure handling of cells in order to minimize the risk of handling mistakes resulting in mix-up of cell samples. The system allows for one to one identification of cells during a whole culturing period. This is obtained by providing a culturing system with loading/exit control means which ensures that only one device is capable of being loaded/removed at a time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method for performing monitoring and/or cultivation of microscopic objects. Microscopic objects are in particular microscopic organisms like bacteria and cell cultures, such as cultivation objects like tissue samples and embryos, providing optimal and safe cultivation conditions for incubation during embryo development and for facilitating the selection of optimal embryos to be used in vitro fertilization (IVF) by facilitating embryo handling for automated digital imaging and time-lapse microscopy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for determining quality criteria in order to select the most viable embryos after in vitro fertilization. The present invention may further be applied for iteratively adapting embryo quality criteria based on new knowledge, historical selection & fertilization data and cooperation between fertility clinics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to a system for selecting embryos for in vitro fertilization based on the timing, and duration of observed cell cleavages and associated cell morphology. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for determining embryo quality comprising monitoring the embryo for a time period, and determining one or more quality criteria for said embryo, wherein said one or more quality criteria is based on the extent of irregularity of the timing of cell divisions when the embryo develops from four to eight blastomeres, and/or wherein said one or more quality criteria is based on determining the time of cleavage to a five blastomere embryo (t5) and wherein t5 is between 48.7 hours and 55.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method for performing monitoring and/or cultivation of microscopic objects. Microscopic objects are in particular microscopic organisms like bacteria and cell cultures, such as cultivation objects like tissue samples and embryos, providing optimal and safe cultivation conditions for incubation during embryo development and for facilitating the selection of optimal embryos to be used in in vitro fertilization (IVF) by facilitating embryo handling for automated digital imaging and time-lapse microscopy.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system and method for determining embryo quality comprising monitoring the embryo for a time period, said time period having a length sufficient to comprise at least one cell division period and at least a part of an inter-division period, and determining the length of the at least one cell division period; and/or ii) determining the extent and/or spatial distribution of cellular or organelle movement during the cell division period; and/or iii) determining duration of an inter-division period; and/or iv) determining the extent and/or spatial distribution of cellular or organelle movement during the inter-division period thereby obtaining an embryo quality measure. Thus, the selection of optimal embryos to be implanted after in vitro fertilization (IVF) is facilitated based on the timing, duration, spatial distribution, and extent of observed cell divisions and associated cellular and organelle movement.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system and method for determining embryo quality comprising monitoring the embryo for a time period, said time period having a length sufficient to comprise at least one cell division period and at least a part of an inter-division period, and determining the length of the at least one cell division period; and/or ii) determining the extent and/or spatial distribution of cellular or organelle movement during the cell division period; and/or iii) determining duration of an inter-division period; and/or iv) determining the extent and/or spatial distribution of cellular or organelle movement during the inter-division period thereby obtaining an embryo quality measure. Thus, the selection of optimal embryos to be implanted after in vitro fertilization (IVF) is facilitated based on the timing, duration, spatial distribution, and extent of observed cell divisions and associated cellular and organelle movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for determination of a change in a cell population, as well as a method for using said method and system for estimating a quality measure of embryos and for selecting embryos for in vitro fertilization, said method comprising the steps of sequentially acquiring at least two images of the cell population, comparing at least a part of the at least two images obtaining at least one difference image, computing a parameter from the at least one difference image, based on said computed parameter determining whether a change has occurred.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices for non-invasive and non-disturbing measurements of metabolizing rates of substantially spherical metabolizing particles, such as an embryo, and to a method and device for controlling oxygen partial pressure at the level of the embryo. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for regulating supply of metabolites to a substantially spherical metabolizing particle, as well as a method for selecting substantially spherical metabolizing particles of a predetermined quality. The invention is carried out in a device capable of establishing a diffusion gradient of metabolites between the substantially spherical metabolizing particle inside a compartment in the device and the environment outside the compartment. The metabolizing rate is determined based on information of the metabolite diffusion gradient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method for performing monitoring and/or cultivation of microscopic objects. Microscopic objects are in particular microscopic organisms like bacteria and cell cultures, such as cultivation objects like tissue samples and embryos, providing optimal and safe cultivation conditions for incubation during embryo development and for facilitating the selection of optimal embryos to be used in in vitro fertilization (IVF) by facilitating embryo handling for automated digital imaging and time-lapse microscopy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system arranged for assisting secure handling of cells in order to minimize the risk of handling mistakes resulting in mix-up of cell samples. The system allows for one to one identification of cells during a whole culturing period. This is obtained by providing a culturing system with loading/exit control means which ensures that only one device is capable of being loaded/removed at a time.