EGG Sensor for Oocyte Characterization

"The oocyte is placed in a culture dish with IVF culture medium. This procedure is similar to that used in the ICSI procedure, except that the injection pipette is replaced by a glass indenter. The indenter (sterile, single-use, blunt-edged glass cylinder, L:16mm, ø:0.85mm, mass:8mg) is completely decoupled from the micromanipulation and microinjection platform and driven by the principle of a magnetic spring with negative stiffness.~The oocyte is immobilized using a restraining pipette to prevent unwanted movement during measurement.~The main objective is to investigate the prognostic value of parameters derived from kinetic measurements of microforces on mature human oocytes in the context of IVF with ICSI.~On each oocyte the mechanical testing is divided in 4 successive loading unloading phase to measure:~* global elasticity of the oocyte.~* global viscosity behaviour of the oocyte.~* local elasticity of the oocyte.~* local viscosity behaviour of the pellucid membrane."