Design and experiment of online monitoring system for long-term culture of embryo

• Published in: Sheng wu yi xue gong cheng xue za zhi Vol. 38; no. 6; pp. 1134 - 1143
• Main Authors: Zeng, Weijun, Zhao, Zhenying, Yang, Yuchen, Zhou, Minchao, Wang, Bidou, Sun, Haixuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 25.12.2021
• Subjects: Blastocyst; Embryo Culture Techniques; Embryonic Development; Fertilization in Vitro; image processing; long-term culture; optical system matching; in-vitro embryo culture; online monitoring
• ISSN: 1001-5515
• DOI: 10.7507/1001-5515.202107053

In the study of embryo development process, the morphological features at different stages are essential to evaluate developmental competence of the embryo, which can be used to optimize and improve the system for embryo culture. In this paper, an online monitoring system was designed for long-term culture of embryos, based on a monitoring strategy of low-magnification search and high-magnification observation. Three optical modules of 4× phase contrast, 10× and 20× Hoffman modulation phase contrast were configured in this system to meet the requirements of different fields of view, especially when the size of the embryo increases during the culture. Using an optomechanical system matching design, an error control and alignment test, the resolution of optical imaging was guaranteed, and a relief stereoscopic imaging with high contrast of embryos was obtained. Through low-magnification field of view to identify and locate embryos and high-magnification field of view to capture the details, the system realized