View-expansive Microscope System with Real-time High-resolution Imaging for Simplified Microinjection Experiments

Abstract

Microinjection technology is applied widely in biomedical research for the purposes of gene manipulation and microinsemination. Generally, microinjection is performed under an optical microscope environment through image presentation of the targets. To perform the microinjection process, it is necessary to place multiple cells in the same droplet and perform multiple injections. This process requires observation at different magnifications for the injection and embryo transfer processes, with the operator required to change the magnification and light intensity each time. The complexity of the process can lead to variations in the accuracy, reproducibility, and productivity of the course of multiple microinjections. To simplify the microinjection process and reduce the workload on the operator, we propose a micromanipulation system that enables both wide-range and high-resolution video shooting with free viewpoint selection. The effectiveness of the proposed system is verified through microinjection experiments using porcine embryos.