Advantages & disadvantages

All cells and tissues have a preference either for glass or for plastic (with or without some sort of a surface treatment).
Note: Cells may even have a preference for a particular type of glass or plastic.

For that reason, in our R&D we are working on creating glass bottomed dishes with a plastic character (coating), a few microns thick only, being either hydrophobic or hydrophilic and bio- compatible (non-toxic) too.
When we manage to make these coated dishes, sterile and non-sterile, there is no limit as to the extend of the use of them, in just any field of High level Inverted Microscopy, in scientific research.

We are collecting information for our R&D department, to offer practical solutions on the behavior of glass, quartz glass and film (all 0.17 mm.):

WillCo Wells B.V. is happy to provide information requested if in our possession and welcome to receive information on these topics, as well as on new topics not mentioned.

However, there is always a risk positioning embryo's / life cells on or even close to the edge, where the adhesive ring is in direct contact with the media inside the dish. Therefor, it is our advise to use a position for the cells, close to the centre of the bottom glass (E.g.: As in figure I.)

Although manufacturers of "adhesives" have shown certificates confirming "non-cytotoxicity" and our WillCo-dish™ products passed biological tests for "non-cytotoxicity", tested in a "Laboratory for Medical Device Evaluation", it is our advise to position life cells in the centre of the glass.

Position all embryo's /- eggs in the centre of the glass bottom, as indicated in figure l., within a small circle or in a small square.  Do not use parafin-oil to cover the droplets!

Embryo's / eggs (   :3) should be positioned on the glass bottom as indicated in figure 1.

No producer/manufacturer (of e.g.: Adhesives or polystyrene) guarantees the life of (hatched) embryo's/cells when positioned directly on, or close to the adhesive seal (2).                      

Since the glass proved to be non-cytotoxic for "hatched blastcyst" mouse embryo's, over a period of six (6) days, it is our advise to use the positioning, for the maximum of eight embryo's, as in figure 1.

Explanation of figure l.:

1. Outer diameter of the dish: Ø 50 mm. 

2. Outer diameter of the glass surface, inside the dish: Ø 39 mm.

3. Black bullets (8) and smallest circles (4) of the same size: Embryo('s) / eggs.

4. Centre of the glass bottom, with embryo's:
   a.:  Within smal circle Ø 15 mm (4 black bullets and 4 small circles).
   b.:  Within square of 15 mm. x 15 mm. (8 black bullets).

   (The centre (4) is also a good location for the sperm cells, during the ICSI procedure).

5. Distance from adhesive (2), on the outer edge of the inner glass surface, to the embryo / egg:
   <----> = 10 mm. minimum

Explanation of figure 2.:

In figure 2, we show an example of several positions of embryo's 
(  : 3) or eggs that are being used for examination, of which it is our advise, never to use these positions because these cells are or may be sensitive to all existing "Medical Class VI" adhesives.

NOTE:
It is our advise, NOT to position an embryo or an egg,  inside the dish as shown in figure 2., close to ring 2.

The clear area, between 1. and 2., is the polystyrene bottom ring, to which the glass is bonded, using a "non-cytotoxic" adhesive.

1. Outer diameter of the dish: Ø 50 mm.

2. Outer 'diameter of the glass surface inside the dish: Ø 39 mm.

3. Black bullets (8): Embryo('s) / eggs.

4. Centre of the glass bottom, where the embryo's should be.

5. Distance from adhesive (2), on the outer edge of the inner glass surface, to the embryo / eggs.
   <----> = 10 mm. minimum