biostudies-literatureTirgar PNational Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology034104https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8133792biostudies-literatureUnknown15(3)Embryo vitrification is a fundamental practice in assisted reproduction and fertility preservation. A key step of this process is replacing the internal water with cryoprotectants (CPAs) by transferring embryos from an isotonic to a hypertonic solution of CPAs. However, this applies an abrupt osmotic shock to embryos, resulting in molecular damages that have long been a source of concern. In this study, we introduce a standalone microfluidic system to automate the manual process and minimize the osmotic shock applied to embryos. This device provides the same final CPA concentrations as the manual method but with a gradual increase over time instead of sudden increases. Our system allows the introduction of the dehydrating non-permeating CPA, sucrose, from the onset of CPA-water exchange, wBiomicrofluidicsToward embryo cryopreservation-on-a-chip: A standalone microfluidic platform for gradual loading of cryoprotectants to minimize cryoinjuries.PMC8133792677Shoushtari Zadeh Naseri AAzizMohseni SEhrlicher AZandi GTirgar PZiaie NNajafi MKazemi PFayazi SDashtizad MSarmadi FfalseToward embryo cryopreservation-on-a-chip: A standalone microfluidic platform for gradual loading of cryoprotectants to minimize cryoinjuries.Embryo vitrification is a fundamental practice in assisted reproduction and fertility preservation. A key step of this process is replacing the internal water with cryoprotectants (CPAs) by transferring embryos from an isotonic to a hypertonic solution of CPAs. However, this applies an abrupt osmotic shock to embryos, resulting in molecular damages that have long been a source of concern. In this study, we introduce a standalone microfluidic system to automate the manual process and minimize the osmotic shock applied to embryos. This device provides the same final CPA concentrations as the manual method but with a gradual increase over time instead of sudden increases. Our system allows the introduction of the dehydrating non-permeating CPA, sucrose, from the onset of CPA-water exchange, w2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 May2026-07-09T11:23:04.612Z2026-07-09T10:46:47.582ZS-EPMC81337923402589610.1063/5.0047185