CRYOGENIC SAMPLE HOLDER

• US 20130263622A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The World Egg Bank
• Original Assignee: The World Egg Bank
• Inventors: Mullen, Steven F., Ling, Daniel, Carland, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 9,664,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/451
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/0268 Carriers for immersion in cryogenic fluid, both for slow-freezing and vitrification, e.g. open or closed "straws" for embryos, oocytes or semen
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/18 Transport of container or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/185 using a liquid as fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1883 using thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1894 Cooling means; Cryo cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/04 Heat insulating devices, e.g. jackets for flasks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/50 Cryostats
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/065 specially adapted for capillary tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/42 Low-temperature sample treatment, e.g. cryofixation

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a cryogenic vessel or holder designed to retain biological specimens, such as embryos or unfertilized eggs. The holder is insulated to reduce the rate of warming of the biological specimens, can hold numerous biological specimens snuggly to alleviate damage by jarring, and has an inner cavity that receives cryogen to keep the biological specimens immersed in cryogen during shipping. The design allows for safer shipping and handling of the biological specimens with less risk of damage. The design can also be utilized as a long-term sample holding and storage device.

Claims

1. A cryogenic biological sample holder comprising:

(c) one or more openings, wherein each opening is for retaining a biological sample support device (BSSD); and

(d) an insulating material at least ¼

″

thick surrounding the BSSD.

2. The sample holder of claim 1 that includes a plurality of openings, wherein each of the plurality of openings is for retaining a separate BSSD.

3. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein at least one of the plurality of openings is cylindrical.

4. The sample holder of claim 3 wherein each of the cylindrical openings has a diameter of between 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

5. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein at least one of the plurality of openings is not cylindrical.

6. The sample holder of claim 1 that further includes a biological sample retained in the BSSD.

7. The sample holder of claim 3 wherein the opening is no greater than 0.1 mm in diameter than the BSSD.

8. The sample holder of claim 3 wherein the opening is no greater than 0.3 mm in diameter than the BSSD.

9. The sample holder of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more openings has a diameter no greater than 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm than the diameter of the BSSD received therein.

10. The sample holder of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more openings has a diameter of no greater than 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm than the diameter of the BSSD received therein.

11. The sample holder of claim 2 that has at least ten openings, each of the openings for retaining a BSSD.

12. The sample holder of claim 11 wherein each opening retains a BSSD.

13. The sample holder of claim 1 that includes a body portion having a top surface and a stem extending upwards from the top surface.

14. The sample holder of claim 13 that includes a cap for retaining each BSSD in the opening in which it is retained, wherein the cap fits over and is affixed to the stem.

15. The sample holder of claim 14 wherein the cap includes a plurality of indicia to identify each biological specimen retained beneath the cap, wherein each indicia aligns with the BSSD beneath the indicia to identify the biological specimen in the BSSD.

16. The sample holder of claim 1 that has a body, and the body has an exterior surface and includes vertical channels on the exterior surface, the vertical channels including openings leading to an inner cavity of the body, the openings to permit cryogen to pass into the inner cavity.

17. The sample holder of claim 16 that includes vertical projections adjacent each vertical channel wherein the projections provide insulation.

18. The sample holder of claim 17 wherein each vertical projection is solid.

19. The sample holder of claim 17 wherein each vertical projection is hollow.

20. The sample holder of claim 19 wherein each vertical projection includes an interior opening in communication with the inner cavity and partially fills with cryogen when cryogen is introduced to the inner cavity.

21. The sample holder of claim 1 that includes an inner cavity for retaining cryogen, each BSSD includes a biological specimen, and the inner cavity is dimensioned such that the biological sample retained by each BSSD is immersed in the cryogen when the BSSD is retained in an opening.

22. The sample holder of claim 1 that includes a body having a side surface, an inner cavity for retaining cryogen, and openings in the side surface, wherein at least some of the openings extend into the inner cavity to permit cryogen to enter the inner cavity.

23. The sample holder of claim 1 that has sufficient thermal mass to keep a biological specimen below the glassification temperature of the biological specimen for at least five minutes.

24. The sample holder of claim 1 that is comprised of plastic.

25. The sample holder of claim 1 that is comprised of one of the group consisting of (a) polypropylene, (b) polyethylene, and (c) polyvinyl chloride.

26. A cryogenic vessel including cryogen and the sample holder of claim 22.

27. A sample holder that has an exterior container and interior tubes wherein a shorter tube has a closed bottom and a top opening, is surrounded by taller tubes that have bottom openings and an aperture above the top opening in the shorter tube;

and the container has a bottom surface with openings therein to permit the passage of cryogenic fluid therethrough, and through the bottoms of the taller tubes, and through the apertures in the taller tubes and into the top opening in the shorter tube.

28. The sample holder of claim 27 that includes soft packing filler in the tube that retains the samples.

29. The sample holder of claim 28 wherein the soft packing is cotton.