Microfluidics for sperm research

Knowlton, Stephanie; Sadasivam, Magesh; Tasoğlu, Savaş

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2015.01.005

Cited by 123 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Research into microfluidics and reproductive events have increased in the past years, and relatively new papers on microfluidics and gamete development have been published 4,15,20,21,24,31,41,42,52,56,62,78,99,111,121,124. In most cases, these papers relate to sperm migration, and none have included OECs in the model.…”

Section: Approaches To Study Oviduct Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing 3-Dimensional In Vitro Oviduct Culture Systems to Study Mammalian Fertilization and Embryo Production

et al. 2016

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The oviduct was long considered a largely passive conduit for gametes and embryos. However, an increasing number of studies into oviduct physiology have demonstrated that it specifically and significantly influences gamete interaction, fertilization and early embryo development. While oviduct epithelial cell (OEC) function has been examined during maintenance in conventional tissue culture dishes, cells seeded into these two-dimensional (2-D) conditions suffer a rapid loss of differentiated OEC characteristics, such as ciliation and secretory activity. Recently, three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture systems have been developed that make use of cell inserts to create basolateral and apical medium compartments with a confluent epithelial cell layer at the interface. Using such 3-D culture systems, OECs can be triggered to redevelop typical differentiated cell properties and levels of tissue organization can be developed that are not possible in a 2-D culture. 3-D culture systems can be further refined using new micro-engineering techniques (including microfluidics and 3-D printing) which can be used to produce ‘organs-on-chips’, i.e. live 3-D cultures that bio-mimic the oviduct. In this review, concepts for designing bio-mimic 3-D oviduct cultures are presented. The increased possibilities and concomitant challenges when trying to more closely investigate oviduct physiology, gamete activation, fertilization and embryo production are discussed.

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Section: Approaches To Study Oviduct Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing 3-Dimensional In Vitro Oviduct Culture Systems to Study Mammalian Fertilization and Embryo Production

et al. 2016

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“…As this system has naturally evolved, it is per definition complex and needs to be partly abstracted or deconstructed in order to challenge results with adjustable experimental parameters. For this purpose microfluidic systems have been established, especially for the analysis of bacteria (Wu and Dekker, 2016) and sperm research (Knowlton et al, 2015). Used mainly for biotechnological applications, few studies have focussed on microswimming and the elucidation of natural environmental factors (Hochstetter and Pfohl, 2016; Stellamanns et al., 2014; Tung et al, 2015; Uppaluri et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental adaptations of trypanosome motility to the tsetse fly host environments unravel a multifaceted in vivo microswimmer system

Schuster

Krüger

Subota

et al. 2017

eLife

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The highly motile and versatile protozoan pathogen Trypanosoma brucei undergoes a complex life cycle in the tsetse fly. Here we introduce the host insect as an expedient model environment for microswimmer research, as it allows examination of microbial motion within a diversified, secluded and yet microscopically tractable space. During their week-long journey through the different microenvironments of the fly´s interior organs, the incessantly swimming trypanosomes cross various barriers and confined surroundings, with concurrently occurring major changes of parasite cell architecture. Multicolour light sheet fluorescence microscopy provided information about tsetse tissue topology with unprecedented resolution and allowed the first 3D analysis of the infection process. High-speed fluorescence microscopy illuminated the versatile behaviour of trypanosome developmental stages, ranging from solitary motion and near-wall swimming to collective motility in synchronised swarms and in confinement. We correlate the microenvironments and trypanosome morphologies to high-speed motility data, which paves the way for cross-disciplinary microswimmer research in a naturally evolved environment.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.27656.001

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“…These types of device improvements and multi-scaling are positive steps forward and will yield microfluidic devices that are more likely to find clinical application in the future. In the last decade, other microfluidic applications for important studies on sperm biology, function and genetics at a fundamental science level have been reported and reviewed (Knowlton et al, 2015).…”

Section: Spermmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of microfluidic technologies to human assisted reproduction

Smith

Takayama

2017

Mol. Hum. Reprod.

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Microfluidics can be considered both a science and a technology. It is defined as the study of fluid behavior at a sub-microliter level and the investigation into its application to cell biology, chemistry, genetics, molecular biology and medicine. There are at least two characteristics of microfluidics, mechanical and biochemical, which can be influential in the field of mammalian gamete and preimplantation embryo biology. These microfluidic characteristics can assist in basic biological studies on sperm, oocyte and preimplantation embryo structure, function and environment. The mechanical and biochemical characteristics of microfluidics may also have practical and/or technical application(s) to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in rodents, domestic species, endangered species and humans. This review will consider data in mammals, and when available humans, addressing the potential application(s) of microfluidics to assisted reproduction. There are numerous sequential steps in the clinical assisted reproductive laboratory process that work, yet could be improved. Cause and effect relations of procedural inefficiencies can be difficult to identify and/or remedy. Data will be presented that consider microfluidic applications to sperm isolation, oocyte cumulus complex isolation, oocyte denuding, oocyte mechanical manipulation, conventional insemination, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, embryo culture, embryo analysis and oocyte and embryo cryopreservation. While these studies have progressed in animal models, data with human gametes and embryos are significantly lacking. These data from clinical trials are requisite for making future evidence-based decisions regarding the application of microfluidics in human ART.

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Microfluidics for sperm research

Cited by 123 publications

References 64 publications

Designing 3-Dimensional In Vitro Oviduct Culture Systems to Study Mammalian Fertilization and Embryo Production

Designing 3-Dimensional In Vitro Oviduct Culture Systems to Study Mammalian Fertilization and Embryo Production

Developmental adaptations of trypanosome motility to the tsetse fly host environments unravel a multifaceted in vivo microswimmer system

Application of microfluidic technologies to human assisted reproduction

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