Rheotaxis-based separation of sperm with progressive motility using a microfluidic corral system.

ABSTRACT: The separation of motile sperm from semen samples is sought after for medical infertility treatments. In this work, we demonstrate a high-throughput microfluidic device that can passively isolate motile sperm within corrals inside a fluid channel, separating them from the rest of the diluted sample. Using finite element method simulations and proposing a model for sperm motion, we investigated how flow rate can provide a rheotaxis zone in front of the corral for sperm to move upstream/downstream depending on their motility. Using three different flow rates that provided shear rates above the minimum value within the rheotaxis zone, we experimentally tested the device with human and bovine semen. By taking advantage of the rheotactic behavior of sperm, this microfluidic device is able to co

SUBMITTER: Zaferani M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6099906 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature