Devices:
• 2x Prolific® G1 (one for moving the holding capillary and another for collecting and transferring the spermatozoa)
• 1x Prolifusion® Air microinjector for holding the oocyte
• 1x Prolifusion® Oil microinjector for transferring the sperm
• 2x MNH-200 capillary holder for each microinjector
• 1x Adapter for inverted microscope
• 1x Inverted microscope equipped with Modulation Contrast or Differential Interference Contrast (DIC), equipped with 10 x, 20 x and 40 x objectives
• 1x AVT-100 Anti-vibration table
Applications
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
The most common application of this system is in ICSI and other related methods. In this technique, sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the oocyte. sperm measuring about 3 microns are injected into an oocyte measuring about 100 microns. This method is very effective in treating cases where sperm do not have the ability to move and mate with the oocyte.
Tarfand’s microinjection workstation is a medical device specifically designed and optimized for ICSI. But there are much more applications. Other applications of this product include the following:
• Selection of individual cells (e.g., biopsies, single cell picking)
• Pronuclear and cytoplasmic injection for generation of transgenic animals
• Stem cell research
• Nuclear transfer
• Positioning and selection of micro particles
• Microdissection of chromosomes, etc.