Oocyte visualization for IVF applications – temperature sensitive environment.

Dimitri Kalleas & Alex Laude (Newcastle University)

Environmental stability is critical for successful oocyte maturation and early embryo development.  We currently assess oocyte maturation using halogen lamp-driven white light inverted microscopy in combination with the PerkinElmer Oosight™ system.

The Oosight™ system is housed in a 37oC incubated closed ‘Isolator’ cabinet.  Prolonged use of the halogen lamp within this environment, which for the illumination techniques required has to be run at maximum intensity, was found to increase the temperature within the isolator beyond that ideal for oocyte survival.

Switching to the CoolLED pT-100-WHT system for prolonged oocyte observation and micro-manipulation provided both the required illumination intensity and colour temperature without any noticeable change in the isolator environmental conditions.

For temperature sensitive applications such as ours, we strongly recommend changing conventional halogen-driven transmitted light sources for LED units such as the pT-100-WHT.

Human Oocytes - Alex Laude & Dimitrios Kalleas Image 1

Images of living human oocytes showing the presence/location of the metaphase II spindle. Images were acquired using the OosightTM  system and CoolLED pT-100-WHT

Human Oocytes - Alex Laude & Dimitrios Kalleas Image 2