Technician using an optical microscope to monitor the progress of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique performed at the IVF unit, Cromwell Hospit

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Technician using an optical microscope to monitor the progress of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique performed at the IVF unit, Cromwell Hospital, London. The petri dish under the objective of the microscope contains a mixture of sperm & ova (the sperm have just been added): the pink colour of the medium in which the 2 are suspended is due to an acid-base indicator - temperature & pH are critical at this stage. The procedure is carried out in an ultra-clean evironment, ie a dust-free cabinet with a laminar air flow to minimise the risk of contamination.

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Size: 3543px × 5026px
Photo credit: © MARTIN DOHRN/IVF UNIT, CROMWELL HOSPITAL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: fertilisation, fertility, fertilization, healthcare, infertile, infertility, instrument, ivf, medical, medicine, microscopy, optical, technique, treatment, vitro