Apparatus are provided for preventing the formation of ice crystals in a biological sample containing a non-Newtonian fluid as a cryopreservation medium. The apparatus may be used to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation of biological samples, or during warming of cryopreserved biological samples, by changing the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid. The apparatus (200) comprises a housing (202) for a container (212) containing the biological sample (214) and the non-Newtonian fluid, and a device (204) for inducing a change in viscosity of the cryopreservation medium. The change in viscosity may be increased by inducing shear thickening of the cryopreservation medium, or the change in viscosity may be decreased by inducing shear thinning of the cryopreservation medium. Possible viscosity-changing devices comprise a tapping device, a piston, a rotating device, a compression device, a sound generating device, a permanent magnet or a electromagnetic field generating device. The apparatus may further include a temperature control device.

A specimen processing system includes a plate for supporting a specimen system, wherein the specimen system includes a container and a specimen contained therein. The specimen processing system further includes a camera disposed above the plate and configured to generate images of the specimen system, a light source disposed beneath the plate for radiating light towards the plate, a light stop for blocking a portion of the light from reaching the specimen system to produce darkfield illumination of the specimen at the camera, and one or more processors electronically coupled to the camera and configured to track a position of the specimen within the specimen container during a specimen processing protocol based on the images.

Provided are 1) a hollow fiber cryopreservation instrument having a long support on which a hollow fiber is placed, wherein the support is formed of a low-temperature-resistant material, and 2) a cell cryopreservation method having a process of placing a hollow fiber on the support of the hollow fiber cryopreservation instrument, and a process of cryopreserving cells in a state in which the hollow fiber is placed on the support.

A container for containing a freezing bag filled with biological tissue and for cooling and warming the freezing bag. The container includes a main body possessing an inner surface, a first side surface and a second side surface positioned opposite the first side surface. The main body is substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped. The container includes at least one opening in at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface of the container, and at least two ridges spaced apart from one another on the inner surface of the container to create an air gap between the spaced apart ridges, the inner surface of the container and the outer surface of the freezing bag.

A flexible pouch is placed in a stack provided with two plates forming a protecting body to sandwich and constrain the flexible pouch. At opposite margin portions, the protecting body has slots cooperating with positioning members of an outer shell device belonging to the stack. Between the shell parts, the plates can move during filling of the pouch and the margin portions shrink inwardly in a protecting body plane. Some of the positioning members act as stoppers, in order to have lower clearance range for shrink strokes of the protecting body in a middle part thereof, as compared to a higher clearance range at respective longitudinal end parts of the two opposite margin portions. A higher constraining effect can be obtained in a center of the pouch, to limit maximum thickness of its content, which is of interest for managing freeze/thaw operations of biopharmaceutical materials contained in the pouch.

A straw includes a tube (11), a stopper (13) arranged in the tube and having a passage (35) extending through it, and an emptying needle (14) having a first portion (31) protruding from the stopper as far as a distal end (19) situated in the tube, and a second portion (32) situated in the passage (35) of the stopper, the needle and the stopper forming an insert (12) entirely disposed in the tube and having an internal conduit (24) fluidically connecting the internal spaces of the tube that are situated to either side of the insert, the internal conduit being formed at least in part by the needle. A method for emptying the straw includes establishing a fluidic communication between the needle and a receptacle, and making an opening in the tube in order to connect the dose of liquid-based substance to the atmosphere and allow it to flow.

The invention relates to a device for cryogenic freezing of units for packaging a biological substance comprising a receptacle (2) configured such that a stream of vapour of a cryogenic agent circulates therein, having at its top an insertion opening (10) for inserting the packaging units into the receptacle (2), a lid (3) that is able to move between a closed position in which it closes the insertion opening (10) and an open position in which it leaves the insertion opening (10) open, and a port (4) for discharging the vapour, provided in the receptacle (2), characterised in that the device (1) further comprises a stopper (13) mechanically connected to the lid (3) such that, when the lid (3) is in the closed position, the stopper (13) is spaced apart from the port (4) and, when the lid (3) is in the open position, the stopper (13) closes the port (4).

A bag holder for supporting a bioprocess bag during freezing includes a cover, a bottom, a frame, and at least one bag support. The cover, the bottom, and the frame form an enclosed space. The at least one bag support is disposed in the space. The cover and the bottom are made of metal. The frame has a first side, a second side, a front end, and a back end. Each of the cover and the bottom has a first bendable tab and a second bendable tab configured to bend over the front end from a longitudinal direction to a thickness direction, and a first arm and a second arm extending in the thickness direction and then in the longitudinal direction. Each of the first side and the second side includes at least one recessed portion extending in the longitudinal direction.

The invention concerns a cryogenic system (1) for vitrifying a substance comprising biological material to be preserved in a receiving region of a thin tube (8), comprising a tank (10) containing a bath (11) of a cryogenic agent and a support member (80) mounted on said tank in a predetermined first position in which said tube is orientated upright, the receiving region being immersed in a liquid zone (17) of said bath, and an opening of said tube being situated above said bath, in a zone of ambient air above said bath, in order to introduce the substance into the tube, the support member being mounted on said tank in a second predetermined position, in which said receiving region is immersed in the liquid zone and said opening is situated immediately above said liquid zone, in a gaseous zone (18) of said bath above said liquid zone and below said zone of ambient air, and being raised from said second position.

A cryovial device is disclosed including a vial configured to hold a liquid sample and an inlet/outlet tube coupled to the vial. The inlet/outlet tube is constructed of a weldable polymer and has a filled configuration, a closed configuration, and a drained configuration.