Biological specimen contaiment arrangement

The present invention an in vitro fertilization system for the receipt and treatment of an egg comprising a housing having a receiving chamber for the receipt of an egg. The system includes a holding chamber for nesting of the egg within the receiving chamber, and an apparatus for permitting treatment of the egg while the egg is held in the holding chamber. An arrangement is disposed in the housing to permit the egg in the holding chamber to be viewed non-microscopically.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to biological specimen containment devices and more 
particularly to an arrangement of chambers useful for in vitro 
fertilization cultures. 
PRIOR ART 
Containment devices for biological specimens are often restricted in their 
design function. The devices often must not permit atmosphere to strike 
the medium within the container. The device must not have sharp edges that 
will bind or unintentionally agitate the medium (embryo/culture)within the 
container. The device must also often permit the medium to be maintained 
at a desired precise temperature and the device must often minimize the 
exposure of the medium to the atmosphere. 
It is an object to the present invention to provide an in vitro 
fertilization chamber arrangement to permit a viewing of the genetic 
material comprising its contents, while minimizing handling and permitting 
viewing thereof, without a microscope or without opening the chamber 
containing the genetic material and exposing it to the atmosphere. 
It is a further object of the present invention, to provide a closed in 
vitro fertilization system, which will permit the fertilization of an egg, 
within a closed system, and to readily permit inspection and retrieval of 
that fertilized egg. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention, to provide a chamber 
arrangement, wherein an egg may be readily retrieved with minimum 
likelihood of damage thereto. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an arrangement of biological specimen 
containment devices adapted to permit intravaginal placement of fertilized 
ovocytes. In a first embodiment of the present invention, an in vitro 
fertilization lens chamber may be molded from a clear CO.sub.2 permeable 
clear polymer. Such a lens chamber comprises a housing having a lower 
planar base, the housing defining an inner chamber. The inner chamber is 
sealed, and has an access port on an upper surface thereof. The upper 
surface access port is openable so as to permit the introduction of an egg 
and or culture medium into the inner chamber. The inner chamber has smooth 
slopping walls, having a lowermost necked down holding chamber at its 
lowermost end. The access port and the holding chamber at the lowermost 
end of the housing are preferably in vertical alignment. A lens is 
arranged through the sidewall of the chamber housing, its focal point 
being in alignment with the holding chamber at the base of the inner 
chamber. The focal point is the necked down area of the inner chamber 
which is, of course, the holding chamber. The lens permits viewing of an 
egg and its fertilization and development with a medium disposed within 
that chamber through the access port along its upper surface. Thus the 
inner chamber may be filled with a culture media and an egg/sperm may be 
deposited therewithin, for settlement within that holding chamber. 
Retrieval of that developing embryo may be facilitated by insertion of a 
retrieval needle through the access port while viewing that procedure 
through the lens. 
A further embodiment of the closed in vitro fertilization system of the 
present invention, is comprised of a plurality of contiguous chambers 
defined between flexible webs of polymeric material. These chambers have 
frangible ports or gates, to permit the advancement of a medium within one 
chamber to move to a subsequent chamber without exposure to the atmosphere 
and without external handling. Such a flexible multi-chamber apparatus may 
have a generally rectangular pouch, having opposed flexible walls sealed 
along its generally rectangular periphery. A first port or collection 
chamber is arranged within that first pouch, to permit an egg to be 
deposited therewithin. The collection chamber has a sealed wall between it 
and a second or washing chamber. The sealed wall has a frangible gate 
between the collection chamber and the wash chamber. Upon receipt and 
collection of an embryo within the collection chamber, the embryo/egg is 
isolated, and the frangible gate may be broken by manual manipulation, to 
permit the egg and a controlled amount of medium to be moved and manually 
manipulated into the next (wash) chamber. A fertility chamber preferably 
disposed contiguous and in-fluid communication with the wash chamber, and 
after a second frangible gate is broken, to permit the washed egg to pass 
therewithin. The fertility chamber is similarly comprised of a sealed 
flexible bag element defined by heat sealed or adhesively joined wall 
segments. An injection port for the introduction of sperm and/or culture 
media is arranged through a side wall in the fertility chamber. The 
injection port does not permit the atmosphere to enter therewithin. The 
fertility chamber is in communication with one or more separate incubation 
chambers, through a elongated conduit. A frangible or breakable gate is 
arranged within the wall of the fertility chamber, to permit breaking of 
that seal gate and passage of an egg and sperm into a subsequent 
incubation chamber. The incubation chamber is preferably defined by a 
flexible baglike housing which may have its own injection port, for 
receipt of culture media therewithin. The incubation chamber is defined by 
a peripheral wall of sealed resilient material. The incubation chamber has 
a frangible or sealed breakable gate at one side thereof to permit 
discharge of a cultured fertilized egg into a subsequent holding chamber 
allowing for retrieval of that fertilized egg by a catheter or needle 
retrieval device. The holding chamber has an access port for permitting 
entry of a catheter or needle into that retrieval chamber. That retrieval 
chamber has sidewalls which are necked downwardly toward one another, to 
permit the collection of the fertilized egg into a holding compartment, 
without damaged thereto. The holding compartment permits safe suspension 
of the fertilized egg until it may be safely retrieved by that catheter or 
retrieval needle. 
Yet a further holding lens chamber, may be utilized as recited in a further 
embodiment, wherein the retrieved egg may be inserted into a housing for 
"IXCY", a type of fertilization procedure. This housing has a planar base 
for support of the chamber in an upright orientation. This retraining 
chamber has smooth walls and is fully enclosed, but for a needle guide or 
an access port on an upper surface thereof. The walls of the chamber have 
a lower end, which are sloped so as to angle downwardly to a holding 
chamber at its lowermost end, the size of the holding chamber at the lower 
most end is such, so as to permit a close fitting arrangement with an 
isolated egg to allow injection or other treatment to take place. The 
holding chamber is preferably in longitudinal and vertical alignment with 
the access port, to permit a needle or catheter to enter therewithin for 
safe retrieval and/or access to that fertilized egg. 
A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in a fertilization 
containment needle arrangement having a needle tip which is in a fluid 
communication within an enlarged retainment chamber therewithin. The 
needle and the retrainment chamber are in communication with a conduit and 
suction source at a second end of the retainment chamber. A light source, 
such a fiberoptic means, is arranged annularly around the suction conduit, 
to permit a full delivery of light within the retrieval chamber. The 
needle is used to access an egg from a female. The light source is 
utilized for elimination, to permit analysis of the retrieved egg and 
fluid and debris from the female. The suction conduit into the retrieval 
chamber, permits suction removal of the debris and unwanted fluid from the 
captured egg. Such a needle apparatus may then be utilized to deliver the 
retrieved egg, and any desired culture medium and/or sperm subsequently 
introduced into the retrieval chamber, into a holding chamber as 
identified hereinabove. 
The invention thus comprises an in vitro fertilization system for the 
receipt and treatment of an egg comprising: a housing having a receiving 
chamber for the receipt of an egg; a holding chamber for nesting of the 
egg within the receiving chamber; an apparatus for permitting treatment of 
the egg while the egg is held in the holding chamber; and an arrangement 
disposed in said housing to permit the egg in the holding chamber to be 
viewed non-microscopically. The arrangement in the housing may comprise a 
lens disposed within a side wall of the housing. The arrangement may 
comprise a light source arranged within said housing and disposed about 
said holding chamber. The apparatus for permitting treatment may comprise 
at least one flexible walled chamber having at least one port therein for 
admission of a treatment medium therethrough. The chamber may include a 
frangible gate for permitting passage of a treated egg therethrough. A 
plurality of successive flexible walled chambers may be in fluid 
communication with one another upon breaking a sealing of the frangible 
gate, to permit successive treatment of an egg therein. The invention also 
includes a method of treating an egg in an in vitro fertilization process, 
comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of separate chambers within 
a flexible walled pouch containment apparatus; forming a breakable gate 
between adjacent chambers; installing an entry port through a wall of at 
least one of the chambers; introducing an egg and a medium into a first 
chambers; and breaking the gate in the first chamber to permit the egg 
therein to be fluidly communicated into an adjacent chamber for successive 
treatment thereof, and providing a first treatment of the egg in the first 
chamber; and providing a second treatment of the egg in a second chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is 
shown a first embodiment of the present invention comprising an 
arrangement of a biological specimen containment device 10 adapted to 
permit intravaginal placement of fertilized ovocytes. In a first 
embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an in vitro 
fertilization lens chamber 12 may be molded from a clear CO.sub.2 
permeable polymer. Such a lens chamber 12 comprises a housing having a 
lower planar base 14, the housing defining an inner chamber 16. The inner 
chamber 16 is sealed, and has an openable access port 18 on an upper 
surface 20 thereof. The upper surface access port 18 is openable so as to 
permit the introduction of an egg and or culture medium into the inner 
chamber 16. The inner chamber 16 has smooth slopping walls 21, having a 
lowermost necked down holding chamber 22 at its lowermost end, as may be 
seen in FIG. 1a. The access port 18 and the holding chamber 22 at the 
lowermost end of the housing are preferably in vertical alignment. A lens 
24 is arranged through the sidewall 26 of the chamber housing, its focal 
point being in alignment with the holding chamber 22 at the base of the 
inner chamber 16, as may be seen in FIG. 1. The focal point is the necked 
down area of the inner chamber 16, which is, of course, the holding 
chamber 22. The lens 24 permits viewing of an egg and its fertilization 
and development with a medium disposed within that chamber through the 
access port along its upper surface. Thus the inner chamber 16 may be 
filled with a culture media and an egg/sperm may be deposited therewithin, 
for settlement within that holding chamber 22. Retrieval of that 
developing embryo may be facilitated by insertion of a retrieval needle 
through the access port 18 while viewing that procedure through the lens 
24. 
A further embodiment of the closed in vitro fertilization system of the 
present invention is shown in FIG. 2, wherein a fertilization system 30 is 
comprised of a plurality of contiguous chambers 32 defined between 
flexible webs 34 and 36 of polymeric material. These chambers 32 have 
frangible ports or gates, to permit the advancement of a medium within one 
chamber to move to a subsequent chamber without exposure to the 
atmosphere. Such a flexible multi-chamber apparatus 30 may have a 
generally rectangular pouch 38, having opposed flexible walls 34 and 36 
sealed along its generally rectangular periphery 40. A first port or 
collection chamber 42 is arranged within that first pouch 40, to permit an 
egg to be deposited therewithin by a needle, catheter or syringe, not 
shown. The collection chamber 42 has a sealed wall 46 between it and a 
second or washing chamber 48. The sealed wall 46 has a frangible gate 50 
between the collection chamber 42 and the wash chamber 48. Upon receipt 
and collection of an embryo within the collection chamber 42, the 
frangible gate 50 may be broken by manual manipulation, to permit the egg 
and medium to be moved and manually manipulated into the next (wash) 
chamber 48. A fertility chamber 52 preferably disposed contiguous and 
in-fluid communication with the wash chamber 48, and after a second 
frangible gate 54 is broken, to permit the washed egg to pass therewithin. 
Each gate 50 and/or 54 et seq. are arranged adjacent a "holding cavity" 53 
for receipt of the egg. The fertility chamber 52 is similarly comprised of 
a sealed flexible bag element defined by heat sealed or adhesively joined 
wall segments 58. An injection port 60 for the introduction of sperm 
and/or culture media is arranged through a side wall 62 in the fertility 
chamber 52. The injection port 62 does not permit the atmosphere to enter 
therewithin. The fertility chamber 52 is in communication with one or more 
separate incubation chambers 70, (only one shown here for clarity), 
through a elongated flexible conduit 72. A frangible or breakable gate 74 
is arranged within the wall of the fertility chamber, to permit breaking 
of that seal gate and passage of an egg and sperm into a subsequent 
incubation chamber. The incubation chamber 70 is preferably defined by a 
flexible baglike housing which may have its own injection port 76, for 
receipt of culture media therewithin. The incubation chamber 70 is defined 
by a peripheral wall of sealed resilient material 78. The frangible or 
sealed breakable gate 74 at one side of the chamber 70 permits discharge 
of a cultured fertilized egg into a subsequent holding chamber 80, 
permitting retrieval of that fertilized egg from that "holding" chamber" 
80, by a catheter or needle retrieval device, not shown, for clarity. The 
holding chamber 80 has an access port 82 for permitting entry of a 
catheter or needle into that retrieval chamber. That retrieval chamber 80 
has sidewalls 84 which are necked downwardly toward one another, to permit 
the collection of the fertilized egg into a conically shaped holding 
compartment 86, without damaged thereto. The holding compartment 86 
permits safe suspension of the fertilized egg until it may be safely 
retrieved by that catheter or retrieval needle. 
Yet a further fertilization system holding lens chamber 90 is shown in FIG. 
3, may be utilized as recited in a further embodiment, wherein the 
retrieved egg may be inserted into a housing 92 for an "IXCY" procedure. 
This housing 92 has a planar base 94 for support of the chamber 90 in an 
upright orientation. This retraining chamber 90 has smooth internal walls 
96 and is fully enclosed, but for a piercable or openable needle guide or 
an access port 96 on an upper walled surface 98 thereof. The walls of the 
chamber 90 have a lower end 100, which are sloped so as to angle 
downwardly to a holding chamber 102 at its lowermost end. The size of the 
holding chamber 102 at the lowermost end is such, so as to permit a close 
fitting arrangement with a fertilized egg disposed therein. The holding 
chamber 102 is preferably in longitudinal and vertical alignment with the 
access port 96, to permit separation of the egg from the debris and media 
and to remain basically segregated therefrom, and also permit a needle or 
catheter to enter therewithin for safe retrieval and/or access to that 
fertilized egg. 
A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4, as a 
fertilization containment needle arrangement 110 having a needle tip 112 
which is in fluid communication within an enlarged retainment chamber 114 
therewithin. The needle and the retainment chamber 114 are in 
communication with a conduit and suction source 116 at a second end 118 of 
the retainment chamber 114. A light source 120, such a fiberoptic means, 
is arranged annularly around the suction conduit 116, to permit a full 
delivery of light within the retrieval chamber 114. The needle 110 is used 
to access an egg from a female. The light source 118 is utilized for 
content examination, to permit analysis of the retrieved egg and fluid and 
debris from the female. The suction conduit 116 into the retrieval chamber 
114, permits suction removal of the debris and unwanted fluid from the 
captured egg. Such a needle apparatus 110 may then be utilized to deliver 
the retrieved egg, and any desired culture medium and/or sperm 
subsequently introduced into the retrieval chamber, into a holding chamber 
19, 30 and/or 90 as identified in the figures recited hereinabove.