Method to determine state of a cell exchanging metabolites with a fluid medium by analyzing the metabolites in the fluid medium
The present invention relates to a method for determining the ideal time for and outcome of reproductive health procedures including in vitro fertilization by establishing a correlation between the successful outcome of said procedure and the spectra of a body fluid obtained using a chosen analytical modality for a population of patients, acquiring for a patient a spectrum of the body fluid of the patient using said chosen modality.
1. An apparatus for controlling culture of one or more cells growing in vitro and exchanging metabolites with a culture medium, the apparatus comprising:
a spectral acquisition device for acquiring a spectrum of said culture medium;
a database of correlation data relating spectral data of said culture medium to a state of said cells exchanging metabolites with said culture medium;
a state determination processor generating data representing said state using said correlation data and said spectrum;
a culture medium controller generating control signals for effecting an adjustment in said culture medium in response to said data representing said state.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adjustment is effected external to said culture medium.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adjustment is an adjustment in ambient temperature or gas composition.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adjustment is an addition of a substance to said culture medium.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said adjustment is a substitution of said culture medium.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said spectrum contains information regarding oxidative stress of at least one component of said culture medium.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said spectral acquisition device is optical.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said spectral acquisition device operates in the near infrared range.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said state is viability of said cells exchanging metabolites with the culture medium.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said one or more cells are oocytes, embryos, sperm or stem cells.