微流控芯片优选人类精子研究

目的:探讨微流控芯片技术对精子的优选能力。方法:自行设计和制造微流控芯片,利用芯片对40例人精液标本进行精子分选实验,优化其分选条件,观察芯片处理前后精液各参数变化。同时对其中30例精液标本(A组:a+b级精子<20%组,n=15;B组:a+b级精子≥20%组,n=15)同时用芯片法和密度梯度离心法分选,比较2种方法分离前后精子活力、形态等参数的变化。结果:①优选后精子活力和精子正常形态率都可见显著提高(P<0.001;P<0.01)。②在精子活动力优选上A、B组芯片法均明显优于密度梯度离心法(P<0.01),尤其在A组这种优势更为明显(P<0.001)。而在精子形态优选上,2种方法无显著差异(P>0.05)。结论:微流控芯片技术在优选精子中具有较高的分选效率,且具有操作简单、分选时间短,对精子损伤小的特点,在辅助生殖技术中特别是体外受精中将有良好的应用前景。

Study of Sperm Sorting Using Microfluidic Chip

Objective: To explore a new method for sorting motile sperm using passively polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) microfluidic chip. Methods: Forty sperm specimens were sorted by the home-made PDMS microfluidic chip device, and the semen parameters (sperm motility and morphology) were compared before and after the experiment.Meanwhile, the sperm motility and morphology in 30 sperm samples (group A: sperm motility<20%, n=15; group B:sperm motility ≥20%, n=15) were analyzed by both microfluidic chip and density gradient centrifugal separation.Results: 1) There were significant differences between pre-sorting and post-sorting in terms of sperm motility (P<0.001) and morphology (P<0.01) using microfluidic chip. 2) Compared with density gradient centrifugal separation method, sperm motility by microfluidic chip sorting device was significantly increased (P<0.01). And then there was no difference in sperm morphology with two methods (P<0.05). Conclusions: Microfluidic chip sorting device in the selection of sperm can get better qualitative sperm, and it is a simple, fast, small injury for sperm. This technology may be useful in sorting motile spermatozoa and insemination and in vitro fertilization to improve birth health quality in future.