Modular bench incubator development with hydrostatic pressure and mechanical vibrations controlled for in vitro oocytes maturation and dynamic embryo culture

• Grant number: 17/21472-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: November 01, 2019
• End date: July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Maico de Oliveira Pita
• Grantee: Maico de Oliveira Pita
• Company: Watanabe Equipamentos Médicos Ltda. - EPP
• CNAE: Fabricação de artefatos de material plástico não especificados anteriormente ; Fabricação de aparelhos e equipamentos de medida, teste e controle
• City: Cravinhos

Abstract

The in vitro oocyte maturation process (IVM) appears as an important alternative for patients who do not respond satisfactorily to hormone stimulation induced or who present with intense physiological disorder due to ovarian hyperstimulation (PAPANOKOLAOU et al., 2005; ELLEBBOGEN, SHAVIT and SHALON-PAZ, 2014) Miron, P 2006). In the actual state of the art, IVM presents a lower success rate when compared to those with naturally mature oocytes (NOGUEIRA, D, et al., 2012; RASHIDI et al., 2014). This is due to the fact that some physiological stages of maturation are still not being satisfactorily met TAVANA et al., 2011. However, IVM, besides supplying the use of expensive drugs, is less invasive and may allow patients unable to mature their oocytes naturally, have an additional alternative to maturate them and thus generate CHILD, TJ et al. 2001The success observed in the production of embryos using in vitro matured oocytes is mainly due to the culture media (TROUNSON et al., 1998) and the incubators.The incubators are responsible for regulating the various environmental variables, such as: gas concentrations, temperature, pH and osmolality of the culture medium (SWAIN, J.E. 2014), during germ cell maturation periods as well as embryo development.Recently some companies have invested in the improvement of their incubators in order to transform them as similar as possible to the body of the manager, aiming to improve the indexes in the production of embryos. Among the improvements investigated are the use of mechanical stimuli with micro-vibrations, differential hydrostatic pressure inside the chambers and the use of special surfaces for embryo adhesion [SWAIN J.E & SMITH, G.D. 2011. ISACHENKO, V. et al. 2011; MIZOBE, Y et al. 2010.TAKEHISA, M. et al.2014It is assumed that the action of mechanical factors can influence oocyte maturation and embryo culture, maximizing the assimilation of hormones, gas solubility and other factors present in the culture media. HUR, Y. S. et al. 2015.There is therefore an opportunity to invest in the improvement of incubators to meet the continuous evolution of assisted reproduction techniques. The present project proposes to improve the incubators (EVE-WTA) with the inclusion of a system that allows the controlled variation of hydrostatic pressure and the development of a system of mechanical micro vibrations. These improvements aim to obtain greater similarity with the natural environment of the embryonic development and also to promote the circulation of the components of the culture media, keeping them more homogeneous and also contributing to the diffusion of the metabolic residues. (AU)