SETTING THE STANDARD The Pipette Company is a specialist manufacturer of micromanipulation pipettes and microtools. We only do one thing and we do it very well. TPC pipettes are manufactured under the direct supervision of scientists who have been involved with reproductive medicine and micromanipulation techniques for many years. They know that high quality pipettes are required to achieve the best clinical outcomes and therefore ensure that you receive only the very highest quality pipettes. EXPERIENCE The directors of The Pipette Company are respected practitioners of reproductive medicine who have published extensively on the scientific and clinical aspects of micromanipulation techniques. Click here for a list of key scientific references. Director Experience Dianna Payne BSc Honours Senior embryologist in The University of Adelaide's Reproductive Medicine Unit from 1984-1998. Responsible for the introduction and application of all micromanipulation techniques. Research interests include mechanisms of fertilization and embryo development. Organised hands-on micromanipulation training workshops in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan. Sean Flaherty PhD Senior scientist in The University of Adelaide's Reproductive Medicine Unit from 1988-1995. Head of the Gamete Laboratories (Andrology, Embryology) from 1996-1998. Research interests include mechanisms of fertilization, fertilization failure and aneuploidy in gametes. Colin Matthews MD, FRCOG Professor of Reproductive Medicine at The University of Adelaide from 1987-1998. Elected Honorary Life Member of the Fertility Society of Australia in 1998, Honorary Life Member of ESHRE in 2001, and Emeritus Professor in 2002. Research interests include male infertility, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and circadian physiology. LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS The Pipette Company is a licensed manufacturer of therapeutic goods. TPC pipettes are CE marked. THE RANGE TPC manufactures pipettes for all micromanipulation techniques, including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), embryo biopsy and assisted hatching. In addition to our range of standard pipettes, we also manufacture custom pipettes. We also manufacture pipettes for research applications and for micromanipulation of non-human gametes and embryos. DESIGNED FOR OPTIMAL RESULTS TPC pipettes have been developed after many years of clinical application. Special features include: Injection pipettes have a precision engineered sharp-blunt spike which penetrates the zona pellucida easily, but does not tear the oolemma. Holding pipettes are designed with a large outer diameter and a proportionately large inner diameter, which provides better support and reduces distortion of the oocyte during micromanipulation. Biopsy pipettes have a bevelled tip which enables one to ease the tip of the pipette into the opening in the zona pellucida and then locate and remove the blastomere with minimal distortion of the embryo. THE RESULT: optimal clinical outcomes and minimal degeneration rates. PRECISION ENGINEERING TPC pipettes are precision crafted to exacting standards. Every stage, from materials evaluation through manufacture, testing and packaging is meticulously controlled. ULTRACLEAN MANUFACTURING Manufacturing and packaging is carried out in a cleanroom which is certified to Universal Class 7 (ISO 14644). This is equivalent to class 350 (AS1386) and U.S. Class 10000. The cleanroom undergoes regular microbiological screening to ensure low product bioburdens. Pipettes are manufactured from 1.0 mm (OD) borosilicate glass capillaries. Before use, the capillaries are thoroughly cleaned in mild detergent, rinsed extensively in ultrapure water and depyrogenated by heat-treatment. THE RESULT: ultraclean pipettes that stay cleaner for longer and require fewer changeovers during procedures. QUALITY CONTROL Every pipette is assessed during manufacture at magnifications up to 500x. Those pipettes which do not conform to strict specifications are rejected without compromise. The ultrapure water used for rinsing capillaries is regularly tested for bacteria and endotoxins (< 0.03 EU/ml). Each batch of pipettes is independently tested for embryo cytotoxicity using a fully validated mouse one-cell to fully expanded blastocyst development assay. CONVENIENT PACKAGING Pipettes are single packed and gamma sterilised, ready for use.They are sold in boxes of 10. Pipettes are packed in protective holders, which are also colour coded for easy identification of different types of pipettes. AVAILABILITY TPC pipettes are available through a global network of distributors, or direct to end-users in Australia and other countries in which there isn't a distributor. GUARANTEE OF QUALITY If any of our pipettes have manufacturing defects, we will gladly replace them. Click here for technical support. KEY SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES Payne, D. , McLaughlin, K,J., Depypere, H.T., Kirby, C.A., Warnes, G.M., and Matthews, C.D. (1991) Experience with zona drilling and zona cutting to improve fertilization rates of human oocytes in vitro. Hum. Reprod. 6:423-431. Cui, K.-H. and Matthews, C.D. (1994) Preimplantation diagnosis. Lancet 343:972-973. Cui, K.-H., Warnes, G.M., Jeffrey, R. and Matthews, C.D. (1994) Sex determination of preimplantation embryos by human testis-determining-gene amplification. Lancet 343:79-82. The Infertile Male: Advanced Assisted Reproductive Technology (1994) Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (eds) CSIRO Publications: Melbourne. Matthews, C.D. (1994). Microassisted fertilization in assisted conception: Indications and patient impact. Bailliere's Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol. 8:127-140. Payne, D. (1994). Embryo viability associated with microassisted fertilization. Bailliere's Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol. 8:157-175. Payne, D., Warnes, G.M., Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (1994) Local experience with zona drilling, zona cutting and sperm microinjection. Reprod. Fert. Dev. 6:45-50. Payne, D., Flaherty, S.P., Newble, C.D., Swann, N.J., Wang, X.-J. and Matthews, C.D. (1994) The influence of sperm morphology and the acrosome reaction on fertilization outcome after sub-zonal injection (SZI) of human sperm. Hum. Reprod. 9:281-1288. Payne, D., Flaherty, S.P., Jeffrey, R., Warnes, G.M. and Matthews, C.D. (1994) Successful treatment of severe male factor infertility in 100 consecutive cycles using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Hum. Reprod. 9:2051-2057. Cui, K.H., Warnes, G.M., Wang, l.J.. and Matthews, C.D. (1995) Optimal PCR amplification for preimplantation diagnosis in cystic fibrosis (DF508). Br. Med. J. 311:536-540. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. The Revolution in Male Infertility (1995) Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (eds). CSIRO Publications: Melbourne. Flaherty, S.P., Payne, D., Swann, N.J. and Matthews, C.D. (1995) Assessment of fertilization failure and abnormal fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 7:197-210. Flaherty, S.P., Payne, D., Swann, N.J. and Matthews, C.D. (1995) Aetiology of failed and abnormal fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Hum. Reprod. 10:2623-2629. Norman, R.J., Payne, D., and Matthews, C.D. (1995) Pregnancy following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of a single oocyte in a natural cycle. Hum. Reprod. 10:1626-1627. Payne, D. (1995). Micro assisted fertilization. Reprod Fertil. Dev. 7:831-839. Payne, D. (1995) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: instrumentation and injection technique. Reprod. Fert. Dev. 7:185-196. Payne, D. and Matthews, C.D. (1995) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection - clinical results from the Reproductive Medicine Unit, Adelaide. Reprod. Fert. Dev. 7:219-227. Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (1996) Application of modern molecular techniques to evaluate sperm sex selection methods. Mol. Hum. Reprod. 2:937-942. Matthews, C.D. (1996) ART regulation: the Australian viewpoint. Hum. Reprod. 11:1365. Downie, S.E., Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (1997) Review: Detection of chromosomes and estimation of aneuploidy in human spermatozoa using fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Mol. Hum. Reprod. 3:585-598. Flaherty, S.P. and Matthews, C.D. (1997) Separation of X and Y sperm for pre-conceptual sex selection. In: Genetics of Human Male Fertility. Barratt, C., De Jonge, C., Mortimer, D. and Parinaud, J. (eds). Editions E.D.K.: Sevres. pp 182-204. Martini, E., Flaherty, S.P., Swann, N.J., Payne, D. and Matthews, C.D. (1997) Analysis of unfertilized ICSI oocytes using two rounds of FISH and probes to five chromosomes. Hum. Reprod. 12:2011-2018. Payne, D., Flaherty, S.P., Barry, M.F. and Matthews, C.D. (1997) Preliminary observations on polar body extrusion and pronuclear formation in human oocytes using time lapse video cinematography. Hum. Reprod.12:532-541. Flaherty, S.P., Payne, D. and Matthews, C.D. (1998) Fertilization failures and abnormal fertilization after ICSI. Hum. Reprod. 13 Suppl. 1:155-164. Flaherty, S.P., Payne, D. and Matthews, C.D. (1998) Fertilization failures after ICSI. In: Treatment of Infertility: The New Frontiers. Filicori, M. and Flamigni, C. (eds). Communications Media for Education: Princeton Junction. pp 269-282.