CZ308176B6 - Small capacity system for seed cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen vapours - Google Patents

Abstract

Small capacity seed cryoconservation system in liquid nitrogen vapour consisting of two serrated saw blades (1) mounted in a structure (2) in which two pivot arms (3) with meshes (4) are built on opposite sides, and all this is placed in a sealable two-part liquid nitrogen container consisting of a box (6) with notches (5) and a lid (7) and equipped with a nitrogen level meter (8).

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a small-capacity cryopreservation system for the purpose of research institutes, veterinary clinics and small-capacity spermabanks in liquid nitrogen vapors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, insemination doses of frozen seed of both animals and humans are frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen. In one of the commonly used cryopreservation systems, the seed is stored in plastic tubes. The straws can also be stored in so-called goblets (plastic multicolored shells) filled with liquid nitrogen, which contain (according to their size) a different number of straws and allow to separate the seeds of individual donors or individual donations while facilitating better orientation in the container storage system.

The previously used small-capacity seed freezing systems do not allow the ultra-fast and non-contact plunging of the liquid below the liquid nitrogen level after the liquid nitrogen vapor freezing process has elapsed. However, slowing down the transfer process of nitrogen vapors below nitrogen level and any direct manipulation of the packages causes the seed temperature to fluctuate, thereby disrupting the sample crystallization process, which may result in reduced survival of cryopreserved sperm, which is undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above drawback removes the small capacity nitrogen cryopreservation system of the present invention, which consists of two sawtooth-retaining saw blades mounted in a structure in which two pivoting arms with eyes are mounted on opposite sides. , all of which is placed in a sealable two-part liquid nitrogen container consisting of a box with notches and a lid and equipped with a nitrogen level meter.

The small capacity system of the invention is characterized in that the structure is rectangular and is inserted into a corresponding rectangular container.

The small capacity system according to the invention is further characterized in that two goblets are held in total in a rotating arms and mesh construction.

The whole small-capacity system according to the invention consists of a steel rod and goblet holder and a polystyrene box with notches and an integrated scale and lid. The straw holder and goblet consists of a support surface for straws, consisting of two 2 saw blades fixed in a rectangular construction preventing lateral movement of the straws and preventing unwanted premature dropping below the level of liquid nitrogen, which would cause the canned seed to deteriorate. An essential part of the bracket are two swivel arms (rotation range up to 360 °) with lugs and are attached at two opposite corners of the structure that allow the bracket to be attached to the closable box or the bracket to the bottom of the box.

During seed cryopreservation, the swivel arms are first trapped at the top of the polystyrene box in the formed slots, thereby allowing placement of the seed with the seed in vapors of liquid nitrogen at the desired height above its surface. Then it is possible by simply turning

90 ° of the arm by 90 ° to insert the entire holder with the seals into the box and so quickly submerge the whole structure below the level of liquid nitrogen without the user contacting the seals.

To reduce the leakage of liquid nitrogen vapors during cryopreservation, the entire system can be sealed with a polystyrene lid that fits snugly against the top of the box.

The actual positioning of the holder above the liquid nitrogen level is variable by the degree of liquid nitrogen filling of the box, therefore a liquid nitrogen level measure is integrated inside to provide the user with an overview of the level.

Mesh-shaped goblets (suitable for small to medium diameter goblets) are provided at the end of the pivoting arms, in which the goblets can be fixed (by inserting the goblets into the metal eye) after the freezing process has been completed and the frozen straws moved there. Goblets with straws are then transferred to liquid nitrogen storage containers for long-term storage of the produced semen collection, without unduly disrupting the crystallization process of the sample, which may have the effect of reducing the survival of cryopreserved sperm as previously occurred. The entire small-capacity system of the invention is variable in size and easily portable.

Clarification of drawings

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 schematically shows a detail of the actual construction of the straw and goblet holder with pivoting arms with eyes.

In FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the entire seed cryopreservation system of a straw holder and a goblet with swivel arms positioned in a liquid nitrogen container (a polystyrene box with notches and an integrated scale and lid).

The following examples illustrate, but do not limit, the small capacity system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example 1

The whole small-capacity system according to the invention (FIG. 2) consists of two saw blades 1 fixed in the structure 2 and two pivot arms 3 with end eyes 4 for receiving goblets, and a polystyrene box 6 with a lid 7, which can be resized. The box 6 with the lid 7 may also be formed of other thermal insulation materials. In the upper part inside the box 6 there are notches 5 for accommodating the pivot arms 3 and also inside is a scale 8 of the liquid nitrogen level. After filling the box 6 with liquid nitrogen to a height as required by the user, it is suspended in the slots 5 in the upper part of the box 6 of the actual structure 2 by means of two pivot arms 3. The box 6 is then closed with the lid. by slightly lifting and turning the arms 3 90 ° at once, the entire structure 2 is inserted inside the box 6 below the level of liquid nitrogen. The liquid nitrogen level can be adjusted. Finally, the end eyelets 4 on the pivot arms 3 can be used to fix the goblets (by inserting the goblets in the metal eye 4) and move them to the frozen seed goblets thus fixed, all below the level of liquid nitrogen.

The small capacity system of the present invention, with a capacity for 30 straws, is practically used in an Andrological Laboratory environment at the Veterinary Research Institute, v.v.i. Brno, CZ, where it has proved itself in cryopreservation of seeds of various types of farm, hobby and exotic animal species. Its use has streamlined the work of processing insemination doses and reduced the risk

Working with genetic material in hazardous environments in the presence of liquid nitrogen. The use of the system reduces the risk of premature dropping of seed straws under liquid nitrogen and eliminates the negative impact of temperature fluctuations on the survival of frozen sperm that would occur when handling straws directly in liquid nitrogen vapors.

Industrial applicability

The new small-capacity system for seed cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen vapors can be selected according to the capacity of the workplace. Depending on the required number of straws, the size of the straw holder and the polystyrene box is chosen so that the work is as efficient as possible, ie to avoid unnecessary loss of liquid nitrogen.

PATENT CLAIMS

Claims (3)

Small capacity system for seed cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen vapors, characterized in that it consists of two sawtooth-retaining blades (1) mounted in a structure (2) in which two pivot arms (3) are incorporated in opposite sides With the lugs (4), the whole is placed in a sealable two-part liquid nitrogen container consisting of a box (6) with notches (5) and a lid (7) and equipped with a nitrogen level meter (8). Small-capacity system according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure (2) is rectangular and is inserted into a corresponding rectangular container. Small-capacity system according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that two goblets are mounted in total in the structure (2) with the pivoting arms (3) and the eyes (4).