Dry shipper

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Dry shipper with inner canister and shipping case Dry shipper with inner canister and shipping case.jpg
Dry shipper with inner canister and shipping case

A dry shipper, or cryoshipper, is a container specifically engineered to transport biological specimens at cryogenic temperatures utilizing the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen. [1] [2]

Contents

Function

The architecture of a dry shipper encompasses two primary components: an internal canister and an external protective shell. The inner canister, designed to hold biological specimens, is positioned within the vapor phase of the liquid nitrogen. [1] This configuration ensures that the specimens are maintained at temperatures below -150 °C for prolonged durations. [2] A distinctive feature of dry shippers is their ability to avert direct contact between samples and liquid nitrogen, reducing risks of contamination and ensuring consistent cryogenic conditions during transit. [1]

Applications

Dry shippers serve various sectors in both the scientific and medical arenas. [1] [3] In the realm of reproductive medicine, these containers facilitate the transportation of delicate biological entities, including human ova and embryos. [2] Within the research landscape, they are employed to carry materials such as spermatozoa or preimplantation embryos of genetically modified mouse strains, safeguarding the integrity and viability of these research assets during their journey. [1] [4] [5] Moreover, biobanks, which archive diverse biological specimens for subsequent scientific exploration, utilize dry shippers to dispatch and acquire samples from researchers worldwide. [3]

Alternative for specimen transport

One common alternative to dry shippers is using dry ice. This method reduces package weight and costs since there's no need for return shipping, unlike with dry shippers. However, at -80 °C, dry ice might not provide a temperature low enough for all specimens. For instance, while cryopreserved mouse spermatozoa can handle this temperature for short periods without losing their fertilization capacity, cryopreserved mouse embryos require colder environments, such as those below -150 °C in dry shippers, to maintain their quality. [6] [7] [8] Another method is shipping freeze-dried samples at ambient temperatures, as seen with freeze-dried mouse spermatozoa. This can be more cost-effective, but many samples, when freeze-dried, experience a notable decline in quality, limiting its applicability. [9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Harrison, Charlotte (2021). "Mice on the move". Lab Animal. 50 (9): 233–235. doi: 10.1038/s41684-021-00829-5 . ISSN   0093-7355. PMID   34373647. S2CID   236968000.
  2. 1 2 3 Chang, C.-C.; Bernal, D.P.; Wright, G.; Straub, R.J.; Witt, M.A.; Nagy, Z.P. (2009-10-21). "High survival rates of vitrified human oocytes are maintained after exposure to transport conditions in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen in dry shipper for 60 hours". Fertility and Sterility. 92 (3): S183. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.07.1379 .
  3. 1 2 Nouvel, Agathe; Laget, Jonas; Duranton, Flore; Leroy, Jérémy; Desmetz, Caroline; Servais, Marie-Dominique; de Préville, Nathalie; Galtier, Florence; Nocca, David; Builles, Nicolas; Rebuffat, Sandra; Lajoix, Anne-Dominique (2021-10-25). "Optimization of RNA extraction methods from human metabolic tissue samples of the COMET biobank". Scientific Reports . 11 (1): 20975. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1120975N. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-00355-x. ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   8545963 . PMID   34697345.
  4. ↑ Ramin, Michael; Bürger, Antje; Hörlein, Andreas; Kerkau, Dagmar; von Walcke-Wulffen, Vincent; Nicklas, Werner; Schenkel, Johannes (2014). "Stability of Cryopreserved Samples of Mutant Mice" . Biopreservation and Biobanking. 12 (5): 343–350. doi:10.1089/bio.2014.0030. ISSN   1947-5535. PMID   25340944.
  5. ↑ Takeo, Toru; Kaneko, Takehito; Haruguchi, Yukie; Fukumoto, Kiyoko; Machida, Hiromi; Koga, Mika; Nakagawa, Yoshiko; Takeshita, Yumi; Matsuguma, Toyokazu; Tsuchiyama, Shuuji; Shimizu, Norihiko; Hasegawa, Takanori; Goto, Motohito; Miyachi, Hitoshi; Anzai, Masayuki (2009). "Birth of mice from vitrified/warmed 2-cell embryos transported at a cold temperature" . Cryobiology. 58 (2): 196–202. doi:10.1016/j.cryobiol.2008.12.011. PMID   19168045.
  6. ↑ Okamoto, Masanori; Nakagata, Naomi; Toyoda, Yutaka (2001). "Cryopreservation and Transport of Mouse Spermatozoa at -79.DEG.C." Experimental Animals. 50 (1): 83–86. doi: 10.1538/expanim.50.83 . ISSN   1341-1357. PMID   11326428. S2CID   84997032.
  7. ↑ Raspa, Marcello; Guan, Mo; Paoletti, Renata; Montoliu, Lluis; Ayadi, Abdel; Marschall, Susan; Fray, Martin; Scavizzi, Ferdinando (2017-07-01). "Dry ice is a reliable substrate for the distribution of frozen mouse spermatozoa: A multi-centric study" . Theriogenology. 96: 49–57. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.04.003. PMID   28532839.
  8. ↑ Qiu, Juan; Matsukawa, Kazutsugu; Edashige, Keisuke (2023-09-25). "Equilibrium vitrification of oocytes using low concentrations of cryoprotectants" . Cryobiology. 113: 104586. Bibcode:2023Cryob.11304586Q. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2023.104586 . PMID   37722470. S2CID   262027766.
  9. ↑ Ito, Daiyu; Wakayama, Sayaka; Emura, Rina; Ooga, Masatoshi; Wakayama, Teruhiko (2021-08-05). "Mailing viable mouse freeze-dried spermatozoa on postcards". iScience. 24 (8): 102815. Bibcode:2021iSci...24j2815I. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.102815. PMC   8390851 . PMID   34471856.
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