Application of lateral oscillating piezo-driven micropipette in embryo biopsy for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis

Biopsy of zona pellucida is a necessary step prior to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Besides traversing zona pellucida by applying laser or acidified medium (e.g Tyrode´s solution), mechanical means is another safe approach. Traditional mechanical zona cutting requires highly skilled embryologist. It is very difficult to make the process automatic due to its complexity. The process can be enhanced by introducing piezo-driven cutter, which makes the cutting process more precise and introduces less cell deformation. In this paper, the application of lateral oscillation of the piezo-driven microneedle is introduced. We believe that further understanding and implementation of the lateral vibrational piezo-driven microcutter can be beneficial for more accurate and controllable mechanical cell biopsy.