IVF Knowledge

When a specification committee at a fertility clinic sits down to select a cryogenic storage vessel, the deliberation rarely lasts long. Almost invariably, the 20L liquid nitrogen dewar ends up in the order. Not because it is the cheapest. Because it is exactly right for what the overwhelming majority of these facilities actually need. The 20L size evolved through decades of use in reproductive medicine as the capacity that balances sample volume, nitrogen management burden, physical footprint, and cost of replacement. A clinic processing 15 to 25 patient cases per week generates roughly 75 to 150 straws of stored material per week. A 20L dewar with a standard canister configuration accommodates 300 to 450 straws before the facility needs to rotate to a second vessel. For veterinary practices, the 20L dewar is even more dominant. Equine and bovine semen storage, canine semen banking, and feline oocyte research all happen in 20L vessels because the sample volumes are smaller than hu...

  Most laboratory managers know they need a dewar. Fewer know exactly which type to specify, and the difference matters more than most people realise. Get it wrong and you are either transporting samples in a vessel that was never designed for transit or storing long term material in something built for a day trip. Two Vessels, Two Very Different Jobs A dry shipper dewar looks similar to a storage dewar from the outside. Inside, they are completely different. A dry shipper holds nitrogen in an absorbent lining. There is no free liquid. This makes it safe to tip, safe to fly, and approved under IATA regulations for air transport of biological material. It is the right vessel for any laboratory sending samples between sites. A storage dewar holds free liquid nitrogen. It sits on your laboratory floor, it does not move, and it maintains your samples at minus 196 degrees Celsius for months at a time. It is the right vessel for any laboratory that needs long term liquid nitrogen d...

Choosing the right liquid nitrogen storage dewar is one of the most important decisions for any cryogenic laboratory or fertility clinic. A storage dewar is a vacuum-insulated vessel that holds liquid nitrogen and keeps your biological samples at ultra-low temperatures. They range from compact 10 litre units right up to large 50 litre vessels, depending on your storage needs. For IVF clinics, the priority is usually canister capacity and ease of inventory management. For research labs and B2B applications, low evaporation rate and long holding time tend to matter most. Cryolab supply LN2 storage dewars across the UK for both laboratory and clinical use. View their range here: https://cryolab.co.uk/product/cryo-storage-ln2-vessel/ If you are replacing an old vessel or setting up a new storage facility, it is worth speaking to a specialist before you buy.

If you work in an IVF laboratory, you already know that precision is everything. You also know that the terminology used to describe laboratory instruments is not always the precision instrument it should be. Stripping Pipette and Denuding Pipette — Meet Your Identical Twin Before an oocyte can undergo ICSI, it needs to be freed from the cloud of cumulus cells surrounding it. This pipette is called a stripping pipette in some labs, a denuding pipette in others. The terms are interchangeable. The instrument is identical. Three Biopsy Pipettes That Are Definitely Not Identical Polar body biopsy pipette: used to sample the polar body for oocyte genetic assessment. Fine bore, ~20–30 µm. Blastomere biopsy pipette: used on day 3 cleavage-stage embryos for PGT. ~30–40 µm. Trophectoderm biopsy pipette: used on day 5/6 blastocysts, the current gold standard for PGT in the UK. ~25–35 µm. Specialist Tools Worth Knowing The TESE pipette handles testicular sperm extraction. The zona dissectio...

  The MVE XC 47/11 is a 47 litre cryogenic storage tank designed for the long-term preservation of embryos, sperm, and other biological materials in IVF laboratories and research facilities. Its structure is engineered to ensure efficient liquid nitrogen retention, helping laboratories maintain stable storage conditions over extended periods. The model is widely used across the UK due to its balance of performance, durability, and reliability. Pricing for the MVE XC 47/11 in the UK can vary depending on configuration, accessories, and supply availability. Laboratories often request tailored quotations based on their specific requirements. Cryolab supplies MVE cryogenic tanks and provides support for IVF clinics and laboratories across the UK. Visit https://cryolab.co.uk for further details.

  We are excited to share that Cryolab will be exhibiting at ESHRE 2026, the world's leading reproductive medicine conference, taking place in London this year. As a UK specialist in cryogenic IVF equipment and consumables since 2000, ESHRE is the conference closest to our heart. It brings together embryologists, fertility specialists, lab scientists, and researchers from across the globe — exactly the community we have been proud to serve for over 25 years. This year we will be presenting our full product range including CryoStork® Dry Shippers, CBS Vitrification Kits, SpermScope® Cell Analysis Chambers, CryoNest® Storage Dewars, and our comprehensive range of IVF consumables and accessories. If you are attending ESHRE 2026, we would love to meet you. Come and see our products in person, speak with our team, and find out how Cryolab can support your laboratory's cryogenic supply needs. To book a meeting: info@cryolab.co.uk   |   01243 837177   |   cryol...