IVF Knowledge

A tissue bank's records have to outlast its equipment. This checklist is based on the Human Tissue Authority's Guide to Quality and Safety Assurance (January 2021), which applies in the UK. Banks elsewhere should check their own regulator's periods. How long to keep what Data needed for traceability: at least 30 years after clinical use (paragraph 175). Donor records needed for full traceability: at least 30 years after clinical use or disposal (paragraph 95). Raw data, such as original temperature monitoring records: at least 10 years after expiry, clinical use or disposal (paragraph 76). From each storage vessel Export logged temperature, level and alarm data on a fixed schedule. Save it in a readable format, away from the tank controller. Keep alarm events with the action taken and by whom. Record servicing, repairs and any change of vessel, so old data still ties to the right equipment. For each pack Location by vessel, rack and compartment. Status: quarantine, released...

Thawing reverses the logic of freezing: cells are cooled slowly but warmed quickly. This checklist follows published guidance from the ATCC and ECACC culture collections. Your own validated method and the data sheet for the cell line come first. Before the vial comes out Put on cryogenic gloves and a face shield. A vial that has drawn in liquid nitrogen can burst as it warms. Pre-warm the culture medium. Know the rack, box and position of the vial, so the box is out of the vessel for as short a time as possible. Every other vial in the box warms while you search. Thawing Warm the vial quickly in a 37 °C water bath with gentle agitation, for about two minutes. Keep the cap and seal out of the water. Wipe the vial with 70% ethanol before opening. After thawing Transfer the contents to pre-warmed medium. For sensitive lines, add medium in small steps to avoid osmotic shock. Change the medium 8 to 24 hours later to remove the cryoprotectant. Record the vial as used and update the count for...

The cryopreservation of stem cells runs on a small set of numbers. This page collects the ones that shape equipment decisions, drawn from the EBMT Handbook and from the data sheet for the Cryolab CryoBank tank range. Your own validated protocol and your regulator always take precedence. Before freezing Hold time: up to 72 hours at 2 °C to 6 °C is accepted, but freezing within 48 hours is recommended. Cell concentration: usually no more than 4 x 10 8 nucleated cells per ml, or 2 x 10 8 if the product has waited more than 24 hours. The freeze Cryoprotectant: DMSO at a final concentration of 5% to 10%. Cooling rate: 1 °C to 2 °C per minute in a controlled-rate freezer. Record: the temperature curve for each run, kept with the unit's storage record. Storage Temperature: vapour phase nitrogen at -140 °C or below. Many programmes work to -150 °C for clinical material. Where to measure: the top storage position, lid open, just before a fill. Duration: studies have found cryostored CD34 ...

Frozen red cells are the long-term reserve of a blood service: rare groups, units for patients with multiple antibodies and contingency stock. UK guidance allows them to be stored for up to 30 years, provided the storage temperature is guaranteed. This checklist turns that condition into things you can inspect. Method and temperature Confirm which glycerol method your process is validated for. High glycerol units: -60 °C to -80 °C in an electrical freezer. Low glycerol units: -140 °C to -150 °C in vapour phase liquid nitrogen. Check the alarm set points match the validated band, not a round number. The vessel Map the temperature at the top storage position at the working liquid level. Use automatic filling so the level does not drift between top ups. Confirm level and temperature are logged continuously. Track liquid nitrogen consumption. A rising trend can be the first sign of a failing vacuum. Keep spare capacity so a vessel can be emptied without warming its contents. Records Keep a...

A task by task checklist for laboratory managers reviewing liquid nitrogen PPE. Retrieving canes from a vapour phase store Elbow or mid-arm waterproof gloves, safety glasses or a face shield depending on the store design. Routine top-ups from a supply vessel Shoulder or elbow-length gloves, face shield with chin guard, waterproof apron. Decanting into an open dewar Shoulder-length gloves, face shield, apron long enough to reach the shoes. Short bench tasks with small dewars Wrist-length gloves for dexterity and safety glasses that fit over prescription frames. Before every use Check gloves for cracks, splits, thinning and opened seams. Replace scratched or cloudy visors. Store PPE dry and away from the vessel neck. Full guide: https://cryolab.co.uk/liquid-nitrogen-gloves-face-shields-aprons/

A quick checklist for anyone responsible for what goes into long-term cryogenic storage. 1. Use labels made for cryogenic temperatures Ordinary adhesives turn brittle and lift after repeated removal from the vessel. 2. Label before freezing At room temperature, on a clean, dry surface, pressed down along the whole length. 3. Print where you can Printed labels are more legible than handwriting and can carry a barcode. 4. Put the right information on Two unique identifiers, sample number, freezing date and sample type. 5. Label the containers too Goblets, visotubes, canes, canisters and the vessel should all match the inventory. 6. Check and reconcile Read labels back before freezing and audit the store against the database regularly. Full guide: https://cryolab.co.uk/labelling-cryo-straws-and-vials/