Application of Microfluid Systems in ART Laboratory

In the past few decades, an extensive efforts have been made to improve the outcomes of human assisted reproductive tech-nologies (ART) . Culture medium, laboratory technologies and equipments have changed over time and have positively influenced ART results. Recent progress in microfluidic tech-nology has turned the research’s attention to the human ART procedure. Studies on microfluidic system in ART labs have been focused on sperm cell (selection and cryopreservation), oocyte (selection, denudation and cryopreservation) as well as In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo culture. In this re-gard, selection of sperm by using microfluidic technologies gained considerable attention. Microfluidic devices have been designed based on sperm characteristics such as motility, rhe-otaxis, chemotaxis, thermotaxis and boundary flowing prop-erty. Microfluidic sorted sperm samples showed lower DNA fragmentation compared to conventional selection methods. Moreover, cryopreservation of low number human spermato-zoa by using microfluidic chip has advantage over the micro-quantity straw. Microfluidic based oocyte selection and denu-dation improved fertilization of human and animal oocyte. Finally, application of dynamic microfluidic system resulted in improved embryo development compared to conventional culture system. In conclusion, microfluidic technologies could provide a simple and user-friendly system for all of the proce-dure of human ART.

کلیدواژه ها:

Microfluidic ، Sperm ، Oocyte ، Embryo culture and ART