Figure 5. Images of mouth-operated glass pipette, glass capillary and hand-operated micrometer-syringe used for oocyte manipulation.

(A) The glass pipette oocyte manipulator is composed of the following components in sequence: mouth piece, latex tubing (3.2 mm inner diameter (ID) x 6.4 mm outer diameter (OD)), 1 mL pipette tip, latex tubing (6.4 mm ID x 11.1 mm OD) and glass Pasteur pipette. The end of the glass Pasteur pipette has been heated over a flame and the end pulled to create a fine-tipped end (Figure 5A1). (B) The glass capillary oocyte manipulator is composed of the following components in sequence: mouth piece, 0.45 μm filter (optional), latex tubing (3.2 mm ID x 6.4 mm OD), 1 mL pipette tip, latex tubing (6.4 mm ID x 11.1 mm OD) and 70 μl glass capillary. The glass capillary tubes are heated over a flame at the center and pulled in opposite directions to create two capillaries with fine tipped ends (Figure 5B1). (C) The hand-operated micrometer-syringe is composed of the following components in sequence: Mitutoyo 150–208 micrometer head (middle size, 0–1″ range, 0.001″ graduation), 5 mL syringe, latex tubing (3.2 mm ID x 6.4 mm OD), 1 mL pipette tip, latex tubing (6.4 mm ID x 11.1 mm OD), 1 mL pipette tip and a 83 x 0.5 mm² gel loading tip. The Mitutoyo 150–208 micrometer head is firmly inserted into the 5 mL syringe (Figure 5C1). To ensure the gel loading tip is fastened securely, the connecting 1 mL pipette tip is cut (Figure 5C2). Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.