Microfluidics and numerical simulation as methods for standardization of zebrafish sperm cell activation.

ABSTRACT: Sperm cell activation plays a critical role in a range of biological and engineering processes, from fertilization to cryopreservation protocol evaluation. Across a range of species, ionic and osmotic effects have been discovered that lead to activation. Sperm cells of zebrafish (Danio rerio) initiate motility in a hypoosmotic environment. In this study, we employ a microfluidic mixer for the purpose of rapidly diluting the extracellular medium to initiate the onset of cell motility. The use of a microchannel offers a rapid and reproducible mixing profile throughout the device. This greatly reduces variability from trial to trial relative to the current methods of analysis. Coupling these experiments with numerical simulations, we were able to investigate the dynamics of intracellular osmo

SUBMITTER: Scherr T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5603289 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature