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Huang TK, Huang CH, Chen PA, Chen CH, Lu F, Yang WJ, Huang JYJ, Li BR. Development of a thermotaxis and rheotaxis microfluidic device for motile spermatozoa sorting. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 258:116353. [PMID: 38696966 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Male infertility is a pervasive global reproductive challenge, primarily attributed to a decline in semen quality. Addressing this concern, there has been a growing focus on spermatozoa sorting in assisted reproductive technology. This study introduces a groundbreaking development in the form of a thermotaxis and rheotaxis microfluidic (TRMC) device designed for efficient motile spermatozoa sorting within a short 15-min timeframe. The TRMC device mimics the natural sperm sorting mechanism of the oviduct, selecting spermatozoa with superior motility and DNA integrity. The experimental outcomes demonstrate a remarkable enhancement in the percentage of progressive spermatozoa following sorting, soaring from 3.90% to an impressive 96.11% when subjected to a temperature decrease from 38 °C to 35 °C. Notably, sperm motility exhibited a substantial 69% improvement. The TRMC device exhibited a commendable recovery rate of 60.93%, surpassing current clinical requirements. Furthermore, the sorted spermatozoa displayed a notable reduction in the DNA fragmentation index to 6.94%, signifying a substantial 90% enhancement in DNA integrity. This remarkable advancement positions the TRMC device as highly suitable for applications in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), offering a promising solution to male infertility challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng-Kuan Huang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hsien Huang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Pei-An Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ching Hung Chen
- Taiwan IVF Group, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Ton Yen General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Farn Lu
- Taiwan IVF Group, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Ton Yen General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Ju Yang
- Taiwan IVF Group, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Ton Yen General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jack Yu Jen Huang
- Taiwan IVF Group, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Ton Yen General Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bor-Ran Li
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Medical Device Innovation and Translation R&D Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
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2
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Byeun DG, Kim D, Park JH, Lee M, Choi JK. Embryonic development through in vitro fertilization using high-quality bovine sperm separated in a biomimetic cervix environment. Analyst 2024; 149:3078-3084. [PMID: 38717228 DOI: 10.1039/d4an00166d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
This study is the first to identify bovine blastocysts through in vitro fertilization (IVF) of matured oocytes with a large quantity of high-quality sperm separated from a biomimetic cervix environment. We obtained high-quality sperm in large quantities using an IVF sperm sorting chip (SSC), which could mimic the viscous environment of the bovine cervix during ovulation and facilitates isolation of progressively motile sperm from semen. The viscous environment-on-a-chip was realized by formulating and implementing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based solutions for the SSC medium. Sperm separated from the IVF-SSC containing PVP 1.5% showed high motility, normal morphology and high DNA integrity. As a result of IVF, a higher rate of hatching blastocysts, which is the pre-implantation stage, were observed, compared to the conventional swim-up method. Our results may significantly contribute to improving livestock with superior male and female genetic traits, thus overcoming the limitation of artificial insemination based on the superior genetic traits of existing males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do Gyeung Byeun
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea.
| | - Dongwon Kim
- Department of Physics, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Korea.
| | - Jin Hee Park
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea.
| | - Manhee Lee
- Department of Physics, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Korea.
| | - Jung Kyu Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea.
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Yaghoobi M, Abdelhady A, Favakeh A, Xie P, Cheung S, Mokhtare A, Lee YL, Nguyen AV, Palermo G, Rosenwaks Z, Cheong SH, Abbaspourrad A. Faster sperm selected by rheotaxis leads to superior early embryonic development in vitro. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:210-223. [PMID: 37990939 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00737e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
To understand the impact of sperm speed as they swim against the flow on fertilization rates, we created conditions similar to the female reproductive tract (FRT) on a microfluidic platform for sperm selection. Selected sperm were evaluated based on early development of fertilized embryos. Bovine and human spermatozoa were selected at various fluid flow rates within the device. We found that the speed of bovine spermatozoa increases as the flow rate increases and that the amount of DNA fragmentation index is lowered by increasing the flow rate. Bovine spermatozoa selected by our platform at low (150 μL h-1, shear rate 3 s-1), medium (250 μL h-1, shear rate 5 s-1), and high flow rates (350 μL h-1, shear rate 7 s-1) were used for fertilization and compared to sperm sorted by centrifugation. The samples collected at the highest flow rate resulted in the formation of 23% more blastocysts compared to the control. While selecting for higher quality sperm by increasing the flow rate does result in lower sperm yield, quality improvement and yield may be balanced by better embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Abdallah Abdelhady
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Amirhossein Favakeh
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Philip Xie
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Stephanie Cheung
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Amir Mokhtare
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Yoke Lee Lee
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Ann V Nguyen
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Gianpiero Palermo
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Zev Rosenwaks
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Soon Hon Cheong
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
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4
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Ma J, Xie Q, Zhang Y, Xiao Q, Liu X, Qiao C, Tian Y. Advances in microfluidic technology for sperm screening and in vitro fertilization. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024:10.1007/s00216-023-05120-9. [PMID: 38189916 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-05120-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
About 18% of reproductive-age adults worldwide are affected by infertility. In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are widely used assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) aimed at improving clinical outcomes. Efficient and noninvasive selection and isolation of highly motile sperm with intact DNA are essential for the success of IVF and ICSI and can potentially impact the therapeutic efficacy and the health of the offspring. Compared to traditional methods, microfluidic technology offers significant advantages such as low sample consumption, high efficiency, minimal damage, high integration, similar microenvironment, and high automation, providing a new platform for ARTs. Here, we review the current situation of microfluidic technology in the field of sperm motility screening and evaluation and IVF research. First, we focus on the working principle, structural design, and screening results of sperm selection microfluidic platforms. We then highlight how the multiple steps of the IVF process can be facilitated and integrated into a microfluidic chip, including oocyte capture, sperm collection and isolation, sperm sorting, fertilization, and embryo culture. Ultimately, we summarize how microfluidics can complement and optimize current sperm sorting and IVF protocols, and challenges and possible solutions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtong Ma
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Qianlin Xie
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Yusongjia Zhang
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Qirui Xiao
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, 110003, China.
| | - Chong Qiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, 110022, China.
| | - Ye Tian
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China.
- Foshan Graduate School of Innovation, Northeastern University, Foshan, 528300, China.
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Ahmadkhani N, Saadatmand M, Kazemnejad S, Abdekhodaie M. Qualified sperm selection based on the rheotaxis and thigmotaxis in a microfluidic system. Biomed Eng Lett 2023; 13:671-680. [PMID: 37872996 PMCID: PMC10590352 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00294-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic systems with the ability to mimic the female reproductive tract (FRT) and sperm features have emerged as promising methods to separate sperm with higher quality for the assistant reproductive technology. Thereby, we designed and fabricated a microfluidic system based on FRT features with a focus on rheotaxis and thigmotaxis for passive sperm separation. In this regard, four various geometries (linear, square, zigzag, and sinusoidal) were designed, and the effect of rheotaxis and thigmotaxis were investigated. Although separated sperm in all microchannels were 100% motile, non-linear geometries were more effective than linear geometry in the term of separating the progressive sperm with high quality. In the presence of upstream flow, periodical changes in the slope of walls (in non-linear geometries) give rise to the periodical facing sperm with a high flow rate in the middle of microchannels, which was a reason for the high quality of separated sperm. However, because of sharp corners in the square and zigzag microchannels that create dead zones with a lack of upstream flow, which is noticeable via simulation results, these geometries have obstacles against sperm swimming toward the outlet, which was proved by image analysis. The sinusoidal geometry showed the highest enhancement level of the designed geometries compared to the linear geometry. Separated sperm exhibited 34.7% normal morphology, 100% motility, and 100% viability in the sinusoidal geometry. Therefore, the periodic change in the position of sperm from one wall to another wall can be a strategy for separating sperm with high quality. Graphical abstract In the present study, we used a microfluidic system for studying the combined effects of thigmotaxis and rheotaxis for sperm separation process to achieve the successful Assisted reproductive technology (ART). The designed PDMS-based microfluidic system had four various geometries, including linear, square, zigzag, and sinusoidal. The functionality of separated sperm was evaluated by sperm tracking (ImageJ), motility assay (CASA software), and morphology assay (Papanicolaou ultrafast staining). Probing various geometries revealed 100% motility. In non-linear geometries, sperm's periodic detachment from the walls gave rise to the periodic interaction with the high flow velocity in the center of the channel, resulting in the separation of high-quality sperm with progressive motility. The collected data proved the influence of thigmotaxis on the quality of separated sperm. Morphologically improvement in separated sperm from the sinusoidal geometry was significant than others, which means the sinusoidal structure would be the best candidate for the sperm separation process. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13534-023-00294-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ahmadkhani
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 11155-9465, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Saadatmand
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 11155-9465, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somaieh Kazemnejad
- Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - MohammadJafar Abdekhodaie
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 11155-9465, Tehran, Iran
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Ferraz MDAMM, Ferronato GDA. Opportunities involving microfluidics and 3D culture systems to the in vitro embryo production. Anim Reprod 2023; 20:e20230058. [PMID: 37638255 PMCID: PMC10449241 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2023-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods of gamete handling, fertilization, and embryo culture often face limitations in efficiency, consistency, and the ability to closely mimic in vivo conditions. This review explores the opportunities presented by microfluidic and 3D culture systems in overcoming these challenges and enhancing in vitro embryo production. We discuss the basic principles of microfluidics, emphasizing their inherent advantages such as precise control of fluid flow, reduced reagent consumption, and high-throughput capabilities. Furthermore, we delve into microfluidic devices designed for gamete manipulation, in vitro fertilization, and embryo culture, highlighting innovations such as droplet-based microfluidics and on-chip monitoring. Next, we explore the integration of 3D culture systems, including the use of biomimetic scaffolds and organ-on-a-chip platforms, with a particular focus on the oviduct-on-a-chip. Finally, we discuss the potential of these advanced systems to improve embryo production outcomes and advance our understanding of early embryo development. By leveraging the unique capabilities of microfluidics and 3D culture systems, we foresee significant advancements in the efficiency, effectiveness, and clinical success of in vitro embryo production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia de Almeida Monteiro Melo Ferraz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Oberschleißheim, Germany
- Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Giuliana de Avila Ferronato
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Oberschleißheim, Germany
- Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Rodríguez-Martínez EA, Rivas CU, Ayala ME, Blanco-Rodríguez R, Juarez N, Hernandez-Vargas EA, Aragón A. A new computational approach, based on images trajectories, to identify the subjacent heterogeneity of sperm to the effects of ketanserin. Cytometry A 2023; 103:655-663. [PMID: 36974731 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The identification of kinematic subpopulations is of paramount importance to understanding the biological nature of the sperm heterogeneity. Nowadays, the data of motility parameters obtained by a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system has been used as input to distinct algorithms to identify kinematic subpopulations. In contrast, the images of the trajectories were depicted only as examples of the patterns of motility in each subpopulation. Here, python code was written to reconstruct the images of trajectories, from their coordinates, then the images of trajectories were used as input to a machine learning clustering algorithm of classification, and the subpopulations were described statistically by the motility parameters. Finally, the images of trajectories in each subpopulation were displayed in a way we called Pollock plots. Semen samples of boar sperm were treated with distinct concentrations of ketanserin (an antagonist of the 5-HT2 receptor of serotonin) and untreated samples were used as a control. The motility of sperm in each sample was analyzed at 0 and 30 min of incubation. Six subpopulations were found. The subpopulation 2 presented the highest values of velocities at 0 or 30 min. After 30 min of incubation, the ketanserin increased the values of the curvilinear velocity at high concentrations, whereas the linearity and the straight velocity decreased. Our computational model permits better identification of the kinematic subpopulations than the traditional approach and provides insights onto the heterogeneity of the response to ketanserin; thus, it could significantly impact the research on the relationship between sperm heterogeneity-fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cindy U Rivas
- Laboratorio de Gametos y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, 54090, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - María E Ayala
- Unidad de Biología de la Reproducción, Laboratorio de pubertad, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, UNAM, Ciudad de México, 15000, Mexico
| | - Rodolfo Blanco-Rodríguez
- Department of Mathematics and Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
- Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Nancy Juarez
- Laboratorio de Gametos y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, 54090, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Esteban A Hernandez-Vargas
- Department of Mathematics and Statistical Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
- Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Andrés Aragón
- Laboratorio de Gametos y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, UNAM, 54090, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
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Du YQ, Shu CY, Zheng M, Xu WD, Sun Y, Shen L, Zhang C, Zhang YX, Wang QN, Li KQ, Chen BY, Hao K, Lyu JX, Wang Z. Truncating PICK1 Variant Identified in Azoospermia Affected Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Knockout Mice. Curr Med Sci 2023; 43:313-323. [PMID: 36971977 PMCID: PMC10040929 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-023-2704-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1) plays a critical role in vesicle trafficking, and its deficiency in sperm cells results in abnormal vesicle trafficking from Golgi to acrosome, which eventually disrupts acrosome formation and leads to male infertility. METHODS An azoospermia sample was filtered, and the laboratory detection and clinical phenotype indicated typical azoospermia in the patient. We sequenced all of the exons in the PICK1 gene and found that there was a novel homozygous variant in the PICK1 gene, c.364delA (p.Lys122SerfsX8), and this protein structure truncating variant seriously affected the biological function. Then we constructed a PICK1 knockout mouse model using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat cutting technology (CRISPRc). RESULTS The sperm from PICK1 knockout mice showed acrosome and nucleus abnormalities, as well as dysfunctional mitochondrial sheath formation. Both the total sperm and motility sperm counts were decreased in the PICK1 knockout mice compared to wild-type mice. Moreover, the mitochondrial dysfunction was verified in the mice. These defects in the male PICK1 knockout mice may have eventually led to complete infertility. CONCLUSION The c.364delA novel variant in the PICK1 gene associated with clinical infertility, and pathogenic variants in the PICK1 may cause azoospermia or asthenospermia by impairing mitochondrial function in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-qiang Du
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Chong-yi Shu
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
| | - Min Zheng
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
| | - Wei-de Xu
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Yue Sun
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Lu Shen
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Chen Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Yu-xin Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
| | - Qian-ni Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, No.903 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support Force, Hangzhou, 310000 China
| | - Kai-qiang Li
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
| | - Bing-yu Chen
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
| | - Ke Hao
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
| | - Jian-xin Lyu
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310059 China
| | - Zhen Wang
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957Laboratory Medicine Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014 China
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 China
- grid.506977.a0000 0004 1757 7957School of Laboratory Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310059 China
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9
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Vigolo V, Gautier C, Falomo ME, Aurich C. Selection of frozen-thawed stallion semen by microfluidic technology. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58:443-449. [PMID: 36510754 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The use of microfluidic technology is increasing in artificial reproduction technologies: With a small amount of semen, it allows for the selection of sperm with the best characteristics of kinetics, morphology and chromatin integrity. The ZyMot Multi (850 μl) is the most popular device of ZyMot Fertility Inc. To date, it was proven to be a valid instrument for sperm selection for in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in men. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of the ZyMot Multi (850 μl) for stallion semen. Frozen-thawed semen from 15 stallions that were previously classified as being of 'good fertility' (GF; n = 8; pregnancy rate ≥ 40%) and 'poor fertility' (PF; n = 7; pregnancy rate < 20%), respectively, was used. Each ejaculate was assessed before and after microfluid recovery for kinetics (CASA), membrane integrity (MI) (SYBR14/PI), membrane functionality (MF) (HOS test), acrosome integrity (Spermac Stain Kit), morphology (Spermac stain kit), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (JC-1) and chromatin integrity (aniline blue staining). Sperm concentration was reduced after sperm recovery in both groups, but more markedly in frozen-thawed semen of PF stallions (p < .05). Microfluid recovery increased total motility, MI, MF and MMP. While there was a significant increase in the percentage of progressively motile sperm after sperm microfluid recovery, there was a decrease in DAP, DSL, VAP, VSL, LIN, WOB and ALH (p < .05). A slight increase (p < .05) was detected in beat-cross frequency. The present results suggest that the ZyMot Multi (850 μl) device selects a specific sperm population from any stallion ejaculate with motile sperm and could therefore be a valid tool for in vitro testing with the aim to predict the fertility of frozen-thawed stallion semen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Vigolo
- Department for Small Animals and Horses, Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), Università di Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Camille Gautier
- Department for Small Animals and Horses, Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Elena Falomo
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), Università di Padova, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Christine Aurich
- Department for Small Animals and Horses, Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Vetmeduni Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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10
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Huang J, Chen H, Li N, Zhao Y. Emerging microfluidic technologies for sperm sorting. ENGINEERED REGENERATION 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.engreg.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
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11
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Zhao C, Sun L, Zhao P. Effects of sperm processing techniques on IVF pregnancy rates: a mini-review. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2023; 17:26334941231188656. [PMID: 37497119 PMCID: PMC10366343 DOI: 10.1177/26334941231188656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Many factors associated with assisted reproductive technologies significantly influence the success of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF) either directly or indirectly. These factors include sperm processing techniques, egg retrieval, intrauterine artificial insemination, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and embryo transfer. Among these technologies, sperm quality is one of the most critical factors for a successful IVF pregnancy. The method used for sperm processing plays a crucial role in determining the quality of sperm. Several widely used sorting techniques, such as conventional swim-up, density gradient centrifugation, magnetic activated cell sorting, and hyaluronic acid, have been extensively compared in various studies. Previous studies have shown that each sperm processing method causes varying degrees of sperm damage, particularly in sperm motility, concentration, morphological features, viability, and DNA integrity. However, sperm processing techniques have been developed slowly, and the impact of these methods on pregnancy rates is still unclear. Further exploration is needed. In this review, we aim to compare the results of different sperm processing techniques concerning sperm quality and IVF pregnancy rates. We will also discuss possible clinical approaches, such as microfluidics and integrated approaches, for testing and improving sperm quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Zhao
- Department of Prevention, Health Care and Fertility, Xinfuli Community Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lanming Sun
- Department of Prevention, Health Care and Fertility, Xinfuli Community Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Pin Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Southern University of Science and Technology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, 29th Bulan Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen, 518112, China
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12
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Assessment of sperm motility in livestock: Perspectives based on sperm swimming conditions in vivo. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106849. [PMID: 34556397 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Evaluation of sperm motility is well-established in farm animals for quickly selecting ejaculates for semen processing into insemination doses and for evaluating the quality of preserved semen. Likewise, sperm motility is a fundamental parameter used by spermatologists in basic and applied science. Motility is commonly assessed using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Recent increases in computational power, as well as utilization of mobile CASA systems and open-source CASA programs, broaden the possibilities for motility evaluation. Despite this technological progress, the potential of computer-generated motility data to assess male fertility remains challenging and may be limited. Relevance for fertility assessment could be improved if measurement conditions would more closely mimic the in vivo situation. Hence, this review is focused on the current trends of automated semen assessment in livestock and explores perspectives for future use with respect to the physiological and physical conditions encountered by sperm in the female reproductive tract. Validation of current CASA systems with more complex, microfluidic-based devices mimicking the female reproductive tract environment could improve the value of sperm kinematic data for assessing the fertilizing capacity of semen samples, not only for application in livestock but also for use in conducting assisted reproduction techniques in other species.
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13
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What is the importance of sperm subpopulations? Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106844. [PMID: 34538510 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The study of sperm subpopulations spans three decades. The origin, meaning, and practical significance, however, are less clear. Current technology for assessing sperm morphology (CASA-Morph) and motility (CASA-Mot) has enabled the accurate evaluation of these features, and there are many options for data classification. Subpopulations could occur as a result of the stage of development of each spermatozoon in the subpopulation. Spermatogenesis might contribute to the production of these subpopulations. Insights from evolutionary biology and recent molecular research are indicative of the diversity among male gametes that could occur from unequal sharing of transcripts and other elements through cytoplasmic bridges between spermatids. Sperm cohorts exiting the gonads would contain different RNA and protein contents, affecting the spermatozoon physiology and associations with the surrounding environmental milieu. Subsequently, these differences could affect how spermatozoa interact with the environmental milieu (maturation, mixing with seminal plasma, and interacting with the environmental milieu, or female genital tract and female gamete). The emergence of sperm subpopulations as an outcome of evolution, related to the reproductive strategies of the species, genital tract structures, and copulatory and fertilization processes. This kind of approach in determining the importance of sperm subpopulations in fertilization capacity should have a practical impact for conducting reproductive technologies, inspiring and enabling new ways for the more efficient use of spermatozoa in the medical, animal breeding, and conservation fields. This manuscript is a contribution to the Special Issue in memory of Dr. Duane Garner.
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14
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Singh K, Dewani D. Recent Advancements in In Vitro Fertilisation. Cureus 2022; 14:e30116. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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15
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Vega-Hidalgo J, Rodriguez M, Dipaz-Berrocal D, Rivas J, Huayhua C, Mellisho E. Sperm selection techniques in cattle: Microfilter device versus conventional methods. Andrologia 2022; 54:e14585. [PMID: 36098672 DOI: 10.1111/and.14585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics and microfilter devices have been developed to mimic the characteristics of the female reproductive tract, minimizing the risk of sperm damage. This study aimed to compare the use of a microfilter device versus conventional methods for sperm selection used in in vitro fertilization (IVF). For selecting spermatozoa, the pooled samples were processed in a microfilter device, swim-up and mini-Percoll gradient. Kinematic and morphometric parameters, vitality and DNA damage were analysed before and after sperm selection. After selection, 10,000 motile spermatozoa per oocyte were used in IVF drops. Embryos were assessed at three (cleavage rate) and seven (blastocyst rate) days post-IVF. Results of sperm kinematic parameters including average path velocity, velocity straight line, curvilinear velocity, linearity, lateral head displacement with the microfilter device were superior to density gradient (p < 0.05), but similar to swim-up method. Likewise, sperm DNA damage was significantly reduced using the microfilter device and swim-up method. Regarding the total sperm recovery rate post selection, results with the microfilter device (17.64%) and mini-Percoll gradient (18.27%) were higher than with swim-up method (6.52%). However, the cleavage and blastocyst rates were the lowest using the microfilter device. In conclusion, sperm selection using the microfilter device and swim-up method can improve kinematic parameters, although the mini Percoll gradient was the most efficient method for embryo production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhorjhi Vega-Hidalgo
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Misael Rodriguez
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Deysi Dipaz-Berrocal
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Josselin Rivas
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Carmen Huayhua
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Edwin Mellisho
- Centro de Investigación en Tecnología de Embriones (CIETE), Programa de Mejoramiento Animal, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
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16
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Orsolini MF, Verstraete MH, van Heule M, Orellana D, Ortega A, Meyers S, Dini P. Characterization of sperm cell membrane charge and selection of high-quality sperm using microfluidics in stallions. Theriogenology 2022; 192:1-8. [PMID: 36007376 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the only method for in vitro embryo production (IVP) in horses. Besides oocyte developmental competence, the outcome of IVP is also highly dependent on sperm quality. Therefore, it is not only essential to employ superior methods of selecting high quality sperm, but also to be able to characterize which quantifiable properties of sperm quality are most indicative of its fertility. In men, a net negative surface charge, estimated by zeta potential (ZP) is highly correlated with sperm quality and in vitro embryo developmental outcomes. However, there is no information available about approximate charges or ZP in equine sperm. Therefore, in this study we aimed to characterize equine sperm ZP and identify its associations with known measures of sperm quality. Additionally, we aimed to complete a comprehensive comparison of conventional sperm selection techniques as compared to the novel method of microfluidic sorting. Ejaculates (n = 22) were partitioned into fresh (∼23 °C, 0 h; n = 12) and cooled (∼4 °C, 24 h; n = 10) groups, and processed by swim up (SU), density gradient centrifugation (DGC), density gradient-swim up combination (DG-SU), and microfluidic chip (MF) sorting. Motility, progressive motility, cell viability, normal morphology, and ZP were evaluated for both unprocessed fractions and post-selected fractions. The ZP of both fresh and cooled samples was net negative and also correlated with motility and progressive motility for both fresh and cooled samples (P < 0.05). The ZP of cooled samples was also correlated with viability (P < 0.05). Among the compared methods of sperm selection, MF was highly effective in selecting high quality sperm as determined by the measured parameters. Percent motility, progressive motility, normal morphology, and viability of MF selected sperm were of higher quality than sperm selected by SU, and of similar to DG-SU and DGC without the use of potentially harmful centrifugation steps. Correlations between ZP, motility, and viability parameters may indicate a role of external charge on the motility and survival of sperm within the female reproductive tract. In conclusion, we identified an average net negative ZP on equine sperm and correlations between ZP and other measures of sperm quality, as well as having identified MF as a novel effective method of equine sperm selection for IVP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan F Orsolini
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Margo H Verstraete
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, 133 Salisburylaan, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Machteld van Heule
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, 133 Salisburylaan, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Daniela Orellana
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Alyssa Ortega
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Stuart Meyers
- Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Pouya Dini
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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17
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Metal deposition and shape reproduction at biological temperatures on cell-level samples. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13328. [PMID: 35922439 PMCID: PMC9349294 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17562-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of metal deposition has been limited to a limited number of applicable samples due to the increased temperature caused by accelerated electron impact on the substrate surface. The surfaces of various biological samples have a nanoscale structure with specific properties, which have been simulated in numerous studies. However, no examples of nano/microscale reproductions of biological surface features have used moulds. In this study, a mould that imitates the surface shape of a cellular-level biological material was fabricated, for the first time, and the shape was successfully reproduced using the mould. Al thin films were deposited on bovine sperm using magnetron sputtering without thermal denaturation with a cathode operating at a biological temperature. It is difficult to deposit films used as metal coatings on pre-treated biological materials at temperatures below 40 °C during evaporation. The Al thin film was peeled off and used as a mould to reproduce the shape of the sperm with high accuracy using a polymer. The results of this study represent a major innovation in reproducible biomimetic moulding technology, demonstrating biological temperature sputtering. We expect our non-destructive metal deposition and metal nano-moulding methods for biological samples to be the basis for the effective utilization of various biological structures.
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18
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Olatunji O, More A. A Review of the Impact of Microfluidics Technology on Sperm Selection Technique. Cureus 2022; 14:e27369. [PMID: 36046322 PMCID: PMC9419845 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm sorting procedures depend on centrifugation processes. These processes produce oxidative stress and cell damage that are undesirable for in-vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes because they affect fertilization and implantation chances. The microfluidic sperm selection technique has shown promise in this area. It can create a platform for isolating and manipulating good-quality sperm cells using diverse triggers such as mechanical factors, chemical agents, and temperature gradients. Furthermore, microfluidic platforms can direct sperm cells for IVF or sperm sorting by utilizing an approach that is passive or active. In this review, we explain the use of microfluidics technologies for sorting and arranging sperm cells for different purposes. We also discuss the use of microfluidics technology in selecting and assessing sperm parameters and how it affects male infertility.
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19
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Nosrati R. Lab on a chip devices for fertility: from proof-of-concept to clinical impact. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1680-1689. [PMID: 35417508 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01144h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics offers tremendous opportunities to understand the underlying biology of fertilization at the single-cell level and improve infertility management, however, its true clinical impact is yet to be realized. Lab-on-a-chip devices have generally failed to diffuse into clinical practice due to issues associated with their translation or their practicality and performance in clinical settings. In this perspective, I reflect on how the full potential of microfluidic technologies for fertility can be realized by considering regulatory and manufacturing considerations at the development stage and by redefining our developmental goals to directly target the ultimate clinical needs. I also challenge the common rationale around developing technologies for infertility treatment based on reducing cost and complexity in operation as the ultimate outcome is invaluable, human life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800, Australia.
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20
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Mocé E, Mocé ML, Lozano-Palazón SA, Bernácer J, Martínez-Granell MM, Esteve IC, Bernat F, Contreras SJ, Villalba I, Gómez EA. Fertility prediction in dairy goats from Murciano-Granadina breed: The role of sperm evaluation and female traits. Animal 2022; 16:100525. [PMID: 35468505 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility is one of the most economically important traits in farm animals, due to the direct and indirect costs associated to low pregnancy rates. Thus, one of the priority goals in animal reproduction is to predict the performance that the semen doses will have in vivo based on the quality values obtained in laboratory assays. Attempts have been made for getting a predictive model of fertility of frozen-thawed sperm in dairy goats, but similar studies have not been conducted for chilled goat buck sperm doses that are mostly used for artificial insemination in many countries including Spain. We study how parameters of in vitro sperm quality and characteristics of Murciano-Granadina dairy goats may affect the in vivo fertility obtained after artificial insemination with semen doses chilled at 4 °C. Moreover, this information was used for obtaining predictive models of the fertility. Sixty-three ejaculates from 13 males were used to prepare chilled doses for the insemination of 495 goats over 13 sessions. Fresh and chilled sperm were evaluated for motility and plasma membrane integrity with a computer-assisted sperm analysis system and flow cytometry, respectively. Fertility was determined at parturition, according to the kidding goats. Overall fertility was 59.6%. Pearson's correlation coefficients between in vivo fertility and quality variables of fresh sperm were not significant and were low (below 0.34 in absolute value) for chilled sperm. Females' characteristics had a low negative impact on fertility (correlation coefficients of -0.19 with age, -0.20 with parturitions and -0.11 with total milk yield obtained in the best lactation). Fixed and mixed logistic regression procedures were used trying to explain the fertility results. None of the models accurately predicted fertility, but the best models included the percentage of total motile sperm or average path velocity from fresh semen, age of the females and the session effect (uncontrolled environmental effects). These analyses showed that primiparous goats were 2.42 times more likely to get pregnant than goats that had kidded four or more times. Our field assay data on fertility in Murciano-Granadina dairy goats highlighted the importance of making quality controls of sperm, of choosing the doses presenting high percentages of motile sperm exhibiting regular trajectories and of selecting the youngest goats for AI, after their first kidding. Efforts should continue to obtain better predictive models for improving fertility in goat dairy herds.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Mocé
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - M L Mocé
- Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C. Tirant lo Blanc, 7, 46113, Alfara del Patriarca, Valencia, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - S A Lozano-Palazón
- ACRIMUR, C. Barón del Solar, 22-A, Edificio II, Entresuelo A, Puerta B, 30520 Jumilla, Murcia, Spain
| | - J Bernácer
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - M M Martínez-Granell
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - I C Esteve
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Bernat
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - S J Contreras
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - I Villalba
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain
| | - E A Gómez
- CITA-Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Polígono la Esperanza, 100, 12400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain; Unidad Asociada UCH-CEU - IVIA, Valencia, Spain.
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21
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Yaghoobi M, Azizi M, Mokhtare A, Javi F, Abbaspourrad A. Rheotaxis quality index: a new parameter that reveals male mammalian in vivo fertility and low sperm DNA fragmentation. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1486-1497. [PMID: 35319557 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00150k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The female reproductive tract simultaneously guides and selects high-quality sperm using rheotaxis in mammalian species. Sperm quality, however, is traditionally evaluated only by their movement velocities and concentration using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), which ignores sperm rheotaxis. Here, by mimicking the female reproductive tracts' dimensions and hydrodynamic features, a new method is introduced to quantify sperm rheotaxis ability for evaluating semen quality. The combination of our RHEOtaxis quaLity indEX (RHEOLEX) and motile sperm concentration is able to predict sperm fertility levels in artificial insemination at various shear rates within 5 minutes. This means that RHEOLEX could be a biomarker for determining male in vivo fertility, unlike conventional semen quality parameters which fail to provide statistically significant predictions. In addition, a high RHEOLEX is associated with a low DNA fragmentation index (DFI), showing that this new parameter is able to identify low-DFI samples. Not only does this work highlight the importance of rheotaxis in determining male in vivo fertility, but it also provides a solid benchmark for developing fast microfluidic devices for male fertility prediction as well as DFI. Last, the data imply that the female reproductive tract might use rheotaxis to keep sperm with fragmented DNA from reaching the fertilization site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Morteza Azizi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Amir Mokhtare
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Farhad Javi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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22
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DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEM STRUCTURED ON A MODIFIED POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE DEVICE FOR THE SELECTION OF BOVINE EPIDIDYMAL SPERMATOZOA. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 110:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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23
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Deori S, Ntallaris T, Wallgren M, Morrell JM, Johannisson A. Comparison of Single Layer Centrifugation and Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting for selecting viable boar spermatozoa after thawing. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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24
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Abstract
Increased demand for in vitro fertilization (IVF) due to socio-demographic trends, and supply facilitated by new technologies, converged to transform the way a substantial proportion of humans reproduce. The purpose of this article is to describe the societal and demographic trends driving increased worldwide demand for IVF, as well as to provide an overview of emerging technologies that promise to greatly expand IVF utilization and lower its cost.
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25
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Ahmadkhani N, Hosseini M, Saadatmand M, Abbaspourrad A. The influence of the female reproductive tract and sperm features on the design of microfluidic sperm-sorting devices. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:19-36. [PMID: 35034216 PMCID: PMC8866594 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02377-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although medical advancements have successfully helped a lot of couples with their infertility by assisted reproductive technologies (ART), sperm selection, a crucial stage in ART, has remained challenging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate novel sperm separation methods, specifically microfluidic systems, as they do sperm selection based on sperm and/or the female reproductive tract (FRT) features without inflicting any damage to the selected sperm during the process. In this review, after an exhaustive studying of FRT features, which can implement by microfluidics devices, the focus was centered on sperm selection and investigation devices. During this study, we tried not to only point to the deficiencies of these systems, but to put forth suggestions for their improvement as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ahmadkhani
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahshid Hosseini
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Saadatmand
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
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26
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Keyser S, van der Horst G, Maree L. New Approaches to Define The Functional Competency of Human Sperm Subpopulations and Its Relationship to Semen Quality. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FERTILITY & STERILITY 2022; 16:140-151. [PMID: 36029048 PMCID: PMC9396000 DOI: 10.22074/ijfs.2021.531517.1132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed at comparing a comprehensive set of functional and structural sperm characteristics between sperm motility fractions and correlating results to the standard semen parameters. By grouping related variables, our objective was to establish the predictive power of semen parameters and whether they accurately reflect the functionality of sperm motility fractions or merely a small set of parameters within individual fractions.<br />Materials and Methods: In this non-invasive experimental study, donor semen samples (n=55) were separated via<br />double density gradient centrifugation, isolating a high (HM) and low motile (LM) sperm fraction. Fractions were evaluated for percentage vitality, chromatin integrity, mature spermatozoa, motility and kinematic parameters, hyperactivation, positive reactive oxygen species, intact mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and acrosome reaction.<br />Results: HM fractions had significantly (P<0.001) enhanced percentages of induced acrosome reaction (HM, 55.6 ±<br />14.3%, LM, 25.0 ± 16.5%), motility and kinematic parameters, hyperactivation, vitality (HM, 70.4 ± 9.7%, LM, 47.9<br />± 10.3%), mitochondrial membrane intactness (HM, 67.2 ± 10.4%, LM, 44.7 ± 15.0%) and mature spermatozoa (HM,<br />83.4 ± 10.0%, LM, 64.6 ± 8.2%) with intact chromatin (HM, 80.5 ± 8.1%, LM, 71.3 ± 8.0%). Various sperm morphology abnormalities correlated with LM fractions' grouped motility parameters (range, 0.46 to 0.51; range -0.4 to<br />-0.75), whereas combined semen traits of total motility, progressive motility, viscosity and mucus penetration (MPT) correlated with HM fractions' grouped motility parameters (range, 0.44 to 0.84). CONCLUSION Collectively, total and progressive motility, viscosity and MPT may represent a reliable grouping of semen parameters for predicting the quality of HM sperm fractions. Separating the same donor semen samples into two significantly diverse motility sperm fractions could be a potential model in mimicking the qualities of fertile and sub-fertile males' sperm populations and used for future research on the improvement of sperm subpopulations from males with different fertility statuses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Liana Maree
- Department of Medical BioscienceUniversity of the
Western CapePrivate Bag X17BellvilleSouth Africa
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Sperm Selection for ICSI: Do We Have a Winner? Cells 2021; 10:cells10123566. [PMID: 34944074 PMCID: PMC8700516 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In assisted reproductive technology (ART), the aim of sperm cells’ preparation is to select competent spermatozoa with the highest fertilization potential and in this context, the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) represents the most applied technique for fertilization. This makes the process of identifying the perfect spermatozoa extremely important. A number of methods have now been developed to mimic some of the natural selection processes that exist in the female reproductive tract. Although many studies have been conducted to identify the election technique, many doubts and disagreements still remain. In this review, we will discuss all the sperm cell selection techniques currently available for ICSI, starting from the most basic methodologies and continuing with those techniques suitable for sperm cells with reduced motility. Furthermore, different techniques that exploit some sperm membrane characteristics and the most advanced strategy for sperm selection based on microfluidics, will be examined. Finally, a new sperm selection method based on a micro swim-up directly on the ICSI dish will be analyzed. Eventually, advantages and disadvantages of each technique will be debated, trying to draw reasonable conclusions on their efficacy in order to establish the gold standard method.
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Ogata H, Tsukamoto M, Yamashita K, Iwamori T, Takahashi H, Kaneko T, Iwamori N, Inai T, Iida H. Effects of Calyculin a on the Motility and Protein Phosphorylation in Frozen-Thawed Bull Spermatozoa. Zoolog Sci 2021; 38:531-543. [PMID: 34854285 DOI: 10.2108/zs210046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we examined the effects of calyculin A, a phosphatase inhibitor, on motility, protein phosphorylation, and the distribution of phospho-(Ser/Thr) PKA substrates in frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa that are actually used by most farmers for breeding. The data showed that calyculin A, which has been reported to have a positive effect on the motility of ejaculated fresh spermatozoa, distinctly decreased the motility of frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa even if a cell activator, such as caffeine, was present in the incubation medium and that the suppressive effect of calyculin A was dose-dependent and continued for at least 200 min. Immunoblot analyses revealed that de novo protein phosphorylation was not detected in spermatozoa exposed to caffeine or dbcAMP (a cell-permeable cAMP analog), while the addition of calyculin A to the medium brought about the appearance of several phosphorylated proteins at 50 kDa and 75 kDa, suggesting that 50 kDa and 75 kDa proteins, which were phosphorylated by activation of cAMP-dependent PKA, were not dephosphorylated and were accumulated in spermatozoa due to the suppression of calyculin A-sensitive protein phosphatases. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that calyculin A caused, alone or in conjunction with caffeine or dbcAMP, the accumulation of phospho-PKA substrates at the annulus, although caffeine or dbcAMP alone did not. This study suggested that calyculin A decreases the motility of frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa concomitant with the accumulation of phospho-(Ser/Thr) PKA substrates at the annulus of flagella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honami Ogata
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Mariko Tsukamoto
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kenichi Yamashita
- Sensing System Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tosu, Saga 841-0052, Japan
| | - Tokuko Iwamori
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Takahashi
- Kuju Agriculture Research Center, Kyushu University, Oita 878-0201, Japan
| | - Takane Kaneko
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Naoki Iwamori
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tetsuichiro Inai
- Department of Morphological Biology, Fukuoka Dental College, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0193, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Iida
- Laboratory of Zoology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan,
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Orsolini MF, Meyers SA, Dini P. An Update on Semen Physiology, Technologies, and Selection Techniques for the Advancement of In Vitro Equine Embryo Production: Section II. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113319. [PMID: 34828049 PMCID: PMC8614388 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In order to improve fertilization and pregnancy rates within artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization techniques in horses, producers may choose to select the best sperm within an ejaculate. In this paper, we review conventional and novel methods of sperm selection. Abstract As the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and in vitro embryo production (IVP) expand in the equine industry, it has become necessary to further our understanding of available semen selection techniques. This segment of our two-section review will focus on the selection of spermatozoa based on quality and sex for equine intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), as well as current and future developments in sperm sorting technologies. Ultimately, novel methods of semen selection will be assessed based on their efficacy in other species and their relevance and future application towards ARTs in the horse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan F. Orsolini
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Stuart A. Meyers
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Pouya Dini
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Microfluidic Systems for Isolation of Spermatozoa from Testicular Specimens of Non-Obstructive Azoospermic Men: Does/Can It Improve Sperm Yield? J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10163667. [PMID: 34441963 PMCID: PMC8397192 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10163667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has allowed reproduction options through assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) for men with no spermatozoa within the ejaculate (azoospermia). In men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), the options for spermatozoa retrieval are testicular sperm extraction (TESE), testicular sperm aspiration (TESA), or micro-surgical sperm extraction (microTESE). At the initial time of spermatozoa removal from the testis, spermatozoa are immobile. Independent of the means of spermatozoa retrieval, the subsequent steps of removing spermatozoa from seminiferous tubules, determining spermatozoa viability, identifying enough spermatozoa for oocyte injections, and isolating viable spermatozoa for injection are currently performed manually by laboratory microscopic dissection and collection. These laboratory techniques are highly labor-intensive, with yield unknown, have an unpredictable efficiency and/or success rate, and are subject to inter-laboratory personnel and intra-laboratory variability. Here, we consider the potential utility, benefits, and shortcomings of developing technologies such as motility induction/stimulants, microfluidics, dielectrophoresis, and cell sorting as andrological laboratory add-ons to reduce the technical burdens and variabilities in viable spermatozoa isolation from testicular samples in men with NOA.
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Yaghoobi M, Azizi M, Mokhtare A, Abbaspourrad A. Progressive bovine sperm separation using parallelized microchamber-based microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2791-2804. [PMID: 34105565 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00091h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Motility is one of the most important factors in sperm migration toward an egg. Therefore, sperm separation based on motility might enhance sperm selection for infertility treatments. Conventional centrifugation-based methods increase the risk of damage to sperm cells. Microfluidic systems, on the other hand, can sort sperm in a less intrusive way, but their efficiency and throughput still needs improvement, especially in low-concentration samples (oligozoospermia). Here, a microchamber-based microfluidic platform is demonstrated that can separate progressively motile sperm from non-viable sperm and debris, and trap nonprogressive sperm in microchambers. This platform can be operated in a short period of time (<10 min) with an excellent degree of controllability with no sample preparation. Sperm were screened in a 384-microchamber platform. The mean average-path velocity of the motile sperm in the collected sample increased significantly, from 57 ± 10 μm s-1 in the raw semen sample to 81 ± 13 μm s-1. The DNA Integrity of the separated sperm showed 20% improvement over the raw sample which indicated that separated sperm were of higher quality. We began with a 22.5 μL raw bovine sperm sample which had a concentration of 8.5 million sperm per milliliter (M mL-1) with 38% motility. After separation, the concentration of the collected sperm was 2.1 M mL-1 with a motility rate of 90%. This corresponds to a 75% retrieval efficiency and the selection of approximately 5.2 × 104 progressively motile spermatozoa. Our results show that the microchamber depth does not affect the residence time of motile sperm; therefore, it is possible to inspect higher sample volumes within the same time frame. This microfluidic platform may provide an easy-to-implement solution for high-throughput, robust, and efficient, collection of progressive sperm with the DNA integrity needed for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). However, further studies are necessary to show the implications of this method in human cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Morteza Azizi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Amir Mokhtare
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Abstract
Sperm selection is a clinical need for guided fertilization in men with low-quality semen. In this regard, microfluidics can provide an enabling platform for the precise manipulation and separation of high-quality sperm cells through applying various stimuli, including chemical agents, mechanical forces, and thermal gradients. In addition, microfluidic platforms can help to guide sperms and oocytes for controlled in vitro fertilization or sperm sorting using both passive and active methods. Herein, we present a detailed review of the use of various microfluidic methods for sorting and categorizing sperms for different applications. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are further discussed and future perspectives in the field are given.
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Nishijima K, Kitajima S, Matsuhisa F, Niimi M, Wang CC, Fan J. Strategies for Highly Efficient Rabbit Sperm Cryopreservation. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051220. [PMID: 33922622 PMCID: PMC8145333 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The rabbit is a valuable animal for both the economy and biomedical sciences. Sperm cryopreservation is one of the most efficient ways to preserve rabbit strains because it is easy to collect ejaculate repeatedly from a single male and inseminate artificially into multiple females. During the cooling, freezing and thawing process of sperms, the plasma membrane, cytoplasm and genome structures could be damaged by osmotic stress, cold shock, intracellular ice crystal formation, and excessive production of reactive oxygen species. In this review, we will discuss the progress made during the past years regarding efforts to minimize the cell damage in rabbit sperms, including freezing extender, cryoprotectants, supplements, and procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutoshi Nishijima
- Center for Animal Resources and Collaborative Study, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Aichi, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.N.); (J.F.); Tel.: +81-564-557781 (K.N.); +81-55-2739519 (J.F.)
| | - Shuji Kitajima
- Analytical Research Center for Experimental Sciences, Division of Biological Resources and Development, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan; (S.K.); (F.M.)
| | - Fumikazu Matsuhisa
- Analytical Research Center for Experimental Sciences, Division of Biological Resources and Development, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan; (S.K.); (F.M.)
| | - Manabu Niimi
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo 409-3898, Japan;
| | - Chen-chi Wang
- Animal Resources Section, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan;
| | - Jianglin Fan
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo 409-3898, Japan;
- School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen 529020, China
- Correspondence: (K.N.); (J.F.); Tel.: +81-564-557781 (K.N.); +81-55-2739519 (J.F.)
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Effect of sperm surface oligosaccharides in sperm passage into sperm storage tubules in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Anim Reprod Sci 2021; 227:106731. [PMID: 33676322 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In birds, the ejaculated spermatozoa do not directly pass to the site of fertilization but rather are stored initially in specialized structures, referred to as sperm storage tubules (SSTs), located in the utero-vaginal junction (UVJ) of the oviduct. The fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa in the SSTs is maintained for an extended period (i.e., several days to months). Although many studies have been conducted to ascertain the mechanisms involved in sperm storage, the understanding of the phenomenon is limited. In this study, there was investigation of the effects of sperm surface oligosaccharides in sperm passage into SSTs in Japanese quail. Results from lectin staining of ejaculated spermatozoa indicated galactose/N-Acetylgalactosamine (Gal/GalNAc), N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) or mannose/glucose (Man/Glc) moieties were present on the sperm surface, indicating the presence of glycoproteins/glycolipids containing these oligosaccharides. When ejaculated spermatozoa were co-incubated with UVJ explants, the lectins derived from Agaricus bisporus and Canavalia ensiformis had marked inhibitory effects on sperm passage into SSTs. Preincubation of UVJ explants with these lectins, however, had no effect indicating there were no effects of UVJ oligosaccharides in this process. Furthermore, none of these lectin had effects on values of sperm motility variables. These results indicate that O-glycans with terminal β-Gal or GalNAc and N-glycans with terminal α-D-Man or α-D-Glc may have functions in the process of sperm passage into SSTs.
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Hyakutake T, Sugita K, Ujifuku S, Sakurai R, Murakami R, Hayamizu Y. Experimental study on the effect of flow in microfluidic channel on bovine sperm navigation. J Biomech 2021; 118:110290. [PMID: 33581442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The navigation mechanism of mammalian sperm in the female reproductive tract is unclear owing to its complex process. This study performed an in vitro experiment using the microfluidic channel with two reservoirs to investigate the effect of fluid flow on the swimming properties of the bovine sperm. The width and height of the manufactured channel were 200 and 20 μm, respectively. The flow in the microchannel occurs because of the hydraulic head difference between the two reservoirs. Sperm with positive rheotaxis proceed in the opposite direction of the flow in the channel after swimming up the downstream reservoir. This study focused on the effect of the flow in the microfluidic channel on sperm motility. It was observed that sperm mostly moved along the channel wall and accumulated near the wall away from the downstream reservoir. The existence of fluid flow in the channel brought about an increase in the ratio of the sperm with positive rheotaxis. Furthermore, the experimental results indicated that the motility of sperm swimming against the flow along the wall increased away from the downstream reservoir. These results will provide useful information to understand the mechanism of sperm navigation for in vivo fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Hyakutake
- Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan.
| | - Kenta Sugita
- Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Shota Ujifuku
- Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Rintaro Sakurai
- Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Renta Murakami
- Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5, Hodogaya, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Yasutaka Hayamizu
- National Institute of Technology, Yonago College, 4448 Hikona-cho, Yonago 683-8502, Japan
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Yan Y, Zhang B, Fu Q, Wu J, Liu R. A fully integrated biomimetic microfluidic device for evaluation of sperm response to thermotaxis and chemotaxis. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:310-318. [PMID: 33444427 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00845a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, humans have faced greater challenges in reproduction. Assisted reproductive technology is the most prominent approach for addressing this problem. Current clinical screening methods simply consider the motility or morphology of the sperm. However, as the spermatozoa need to navigate over a long distance in the female reproductive tract and survive the natural screening processes therein, these methods are imperfect. Many approaches have been undertaken to study the chemotaxis and thermotaxis navigation behavior of spermatozoa, but few of these have involved integrated screening that considers motility, chemotaxis, and thermotaxis based on the biological environment of the human body. Current routine sperm evaluation techniques are inadequate and fail to simultaneously provide conclusive evidence for the thermotactic and chemotactic characteristics of sperm. Thus, such screening of functional spermatozoa will be an advancement in assisted reproduction. In this study, we developed a fully integrated biomimetic microfluidic system for screening sperm for their characteristics when exposed to temperature and chemical gradients. Based on our results, we showed that spermatozoa were attracted by temperature and chemical gradients in the physiological range. Moreover, we ascertained a suitable temperature gradient range for thermotaxis and statistically proved that the thermotactic and chemotactic responses are not linked. Here, we report the first quantitative study of functional sperm during thermotaxis and chemotaxis, and our analysis of the difference in motility caused by different conditions. More broadly, we foresee the clinical application of these biologically motivated parameters and characteristics in assisted reproduction in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimo Yan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China.
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Ogata K, Nagata MPB, Nishizono H, Yamanouchi T, Matsuda H, Ogata Y, Takeda K, Hashiyada Y, Yamashita K. In vitro survival kinetics of microfluidic-sorted bovine spermatozoa. Andrology 2020; 9:977-988. [PMID: 33305455 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The isolation and characterization of sperm subpopulations that can achieve fertilization is a major challenge of assisted reproduction methods. We focused on the microfluidic sperm sorter as a novel tool for collecting highly motile spermatozoa from heterogeneous semen samples. OBJECTIVES This study primarily aims to obtain baseline information on sorted spermatozoa according to its characteristics and in vitro life span. MATERIALS AND METHODS Frozen-thawed bull semen was subjected to microfluidic sperm sorting using diffuser-type microfluidic sperm sorter (DMSS). After sorting, samples were collected as the sorted spermatozoa and unsorted residual spermatozoa and incubated at 37°C for subsequent evaluation. The samples were assessed at different time points (0 or 1, 6, and 24 h) in terms of motility, which was measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), membrane integrity, mitochondrial function, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production after sorting (0 h). To determine the characteristics and efficiency of DMSS sorting, the sorted spermatozoa were compared with samples collected using the swim-up method, a conventional method in motile sperm selection. RESULTS A comparison between the sorted and residual spermatozoa demonstrated significantly higher motility parameters, membrane integrity, and mitochondrial function of the sorted spermatozoa until 6 h after incubation. The time course decrement of membrane and mitochondrial status were subjected to curve fitting and theoretically supported. Sperm ATP production measured immediately after sorting showed higher ATP generation of the sorted spermatozoa compared with the unsorted, frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The motility parameters and mitochondrial activity of DMSS-sorted spermatozoa were higher than the swim-up-collected spermatozoa (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION These results indicate that DMSS sorting can strictly select highly motile spermatozoa with the ability to maintain its membrane integrity and mitochondrial function related to ATP production. We speculate that the device that is able to sort high-quality spermatozoa can have great potential in assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuko Ogata
- National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), Fukushima, Japan.,National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Maria Portia B Nagata
- Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Saga, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Nishizono
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | | | - Hideo Matsuda
- National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yuki Ogata
- National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), Fukushima, Japan
| | - Kumiko Takeda
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yutaka Hashiyada
- National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), Fukushima, Japan.,Ishikawa Prefectural University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Kenichi Yamashita
- Sensing System Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Saga, Japan
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Shandilya R, Pathak N, Lohiya NK, Sharma RS, Mishra PK. Nanotechnology in reproductive medicine: Opportunities for clinical translation. Clin Exp Reprod Med 2020; 47:245-262. [PMID: 33227186 PMCID: PMC7711096 DOI: 10.5653/cerm.2020.03650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, nanotechnology has revolutionized global healthcare and has been predicted to exert a remarkable effect on clinical medicine. In this context, the clinical use of nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis, fertility preservation, and the management of infertility and other pathologies linked to pubertal development, menopause, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has substantial promise to fill the existing lacunae in reproductive healthcare. Of late, a number of clinical trials involving the use of nanoparticles for the early detection of reproductive tract infections and cancers, targeted drug delivery, and cellular therapeutics have been conducted. However, most of these trials of nanoengineering are still at a nascent stage, and better synergy between pharmaceutics, chemistry, and cutting-edge molecular sciences is needed for effective translation of these interventions from bench to bedside. To bridge the gap between translational outcome and product development, strategic partnerships with the insight and ability to anticipate challenges, as well as an in-depth understanding of the molecular pathways involved, are highly essential. Such amalgamations would overcome the regulatory gauntlet and technical hurdles, thereby facilitating the effective clinical translation of these nano-based tools and technologies. The present review comprehensively focuses on emerging applications of nanotechnology, which holds enormous promise for improved therapeutics and early diagnosis of various human reproductive tract diseases and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchita Shandilya
- Department of Molecular Biology, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, India
| | - Neelam Pathak
- School of Life Sciences, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
| | | | - Radhey Shyam Sharma
- Division of Reproductive Biology, Maternal and Child Health, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Pradyumna Kumar Mishra
- Department of Molecular Biology, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, India
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Male Factors: the Role of Sperm in Preimplantation Embryo Quality. Reprod Sci 2020; 28:1788-1811. [DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00334-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Le Gac S, Ferraz M, Venzac B, Comizzoli P. Understanding and Assisting Reproduction in Wildlife Species Using Microfluidics. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 39:584-597. [PMID: 33039163 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Conservation breeding and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are invaluable tools to save wild animal species that are on the brink of extinction. Microfluidic devices recently developed for human or domestic animal reproductive medicine could significantly help to increase knowledge about fertility and contribute to the success of ART in wildlife. Some of these microfluidic tools could be applied to wild species, but dedicated efforts will be necessary to meet specific needs in animal conservation; for example, they need to be cost-effective, applicable to multiple species, and field-friendly. Microfluidics represents only one powerful technology in a complex toolbox and must be integrated with other approaches to be impactful in managing wildlife reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Le Gac
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, and TechMed Center, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Marcia Ferraz
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bastien Venzac
- Applied Microfluidics for BioEngineering Research, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Sciences, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, and TechMed Center, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA.
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Yan Y, Liu H, Zhang B, Liu R. A PMMA-Based Microfluidic Device for Human Sperm Evaluation and Screening on Swimming Capability and Swimming Persistence. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11090793. [PMID: 32839382 PMCID: PMC7570091 DOI: 10.3390/mi11090793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The selection of high-quality sperm is essential to the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF). As human cervical mucus has a high viscosity, without enough swimming persistence, human sperm clouds cannot arrive at the ampulla to fertilize the egg. In this study, we used swimming capability and motion characteristics that are known to be associated with fertilization ability to evaluate the quality of sperm. Here, a clinically applicable polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based microdevice was designed and fabricated for sperm evaluation and screening for swimming capability and persistence in a viscous environment. In this study, we applied methylcellulose (MC) to mimic the natural properties of mucus in vivo to achieve the selection of motile sperm. Sperm motion was recorded by an inverted microscope. The statistical features were extracted and analyzed. Hundreds of sperm in two treated groups with different concentrations of MC and one control group with human tubal fluid (HTF) media were video recorded. This device can achieve a one-step procedure of high-quality sperm selection and achieve the quantitative evaluation of sperm swimming capability and persistence. Sperm with good swimming capability and persistence may be more suitable for fertilization in a viscous environment. This microdevice and methods could be used to guide the evaluation of sperm motility and screening in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimo Yan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (Y.Y.); (H.L.); (B.Z.)
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Haoran Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (Y.Y.); (H.L.); (B.Z.)
| | - Boxuan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (Y.Y.); (H.L.); (B.Z.)
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ran Liu
- Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Correspondence:
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Dominguez EM, Moreno-Irusta A, Rodriguez MB, Salamone DF, de Arruda RP, Losinno L, Giojalas LC. Chemotactic selection of frozen-thawed stallion sperm improves sperm quality and heterologous binding to oocytes. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 221:106582. [PMID: 32889407 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The successful use of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) depends in part on the sperm physiological status. Several sperm selection procedures have been applied to improve quality of sperm population when using the ART. There has previously been development of a Sperm Selection Assay (SSA) for humans which is based on the attraction of capacitated sperm by chemotaxis towards progesterone (P), resulting in an enriched sperm population with an optimal physiological status similar to capacitated spermatozoa, with these cells having very little DNA fragmentation and optimal concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, the aim was to adapt the SSA for frozen-thawed stallion semen samples and evaluate the functional status of those sperm selected using the SSA procedure, and to determine whether this enriched sperm population has a greater capacity to bind to the zona pellucida of cattle oocytes. There were experimental conditions developed to conduct the SSA with stallion sperm. Using these conditions, the indexes of induced acrosome reaction, protein tyrosine phosphorylation, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial and cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species, and number of sperm bound to the zona pellucida of cattle were greater when the sperm population was selected using the SSA. Consistently, the DNA fragmentation and phospholipase C zeta indexes were less for the selected sperm. In conclusion, stallion sperm selected using chemotaxis utilizing the SSA provides a sperm population of greater quality, which when used may improve the outcomes with use of the ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Mauricio Dominguez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ayelen Moreno-Irusta
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María Belén Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, FAUBA/INPA- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel F Salamone
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Animal, FAUBA/INPA- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rubens Paes de Arruda
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia do Sêmen e Andrologia - LBSA, Departamento de Reprodução Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Ciência Animal, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Losinno
- Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto (UNRC), Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Catedra de Producción Equina I y II, Rio Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto (UNRC), Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Rio Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Laura Cecilia Giojalas
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Córdoba, Argentina.
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Bukatin A, Denissenko P, Kantsler V. Self-organization and multi-line transport of human spermatozoa in rectangular microchannels due to cell-cell interactions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9830. [PMID: 32555273 PMCID: PMC7299960 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66803-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The journey of sperm navigation towards ovum is one of the most important questions in mammalian fertilisation and reproduction. However, we know very little about spermatozoa propagation in a complex fluidic, chemical and topographic environment of a fertility tract. Using microfluidics techniques, we investigate the influence of cell-cell interactions on spermatozoa swimming behavior in constrained environment at different concentrations. Our study shows that at high enough cell concentration the interaction between boundary-following cells leads to formation of areas with preferential direction of cell swimming. In the microchannel of a rectangular cross-section, this leads to formation of a “four-lane” swimming pattern with the asymmetry of the cell distribution of up to 40%. We propose that this is caused by the combination of cell-cell collisions in the corners of the microchannel and the existence of morphologically different spermatozoa: slightly asymmetric cells with trajectories curved left and the symmetric ones, with trajectories curved right. Our findings suggest that cell-cell interactions in highly folded environment of mammalian reproductive tract are important for spermatozoa swimming behavior and play role in selection of highly motile cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bukatin
- Alferov Saint Petersburg National Research Academic University of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
| | - P Denissenko
- School of Engeneering, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - V Kantsler
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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Marzano G, Chiriacò MS, Primiceri E, Dell’Aquila ME, Ramalho-Santos J, Zara V, Ferramosca A, Maruccio G. Sperm selection in assisted reproduction: A review of established methods and cutting-edge possibilities. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107498. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata A. Witek
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Center of Biomodular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Ian M. Freed
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Center of Biomodular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
| | - Steven A. Soper
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Center of Biomodular Multiscale Systems for Precision Medicine, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
- Bioengineering Program, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, United States
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Oseguera-López I, Ruiz-Díaz S, Ramos-Ibeas P, Pérez-Cerezales S. Novel Techniques of Sperm Selection for Improving IVF and ICSI Outcomes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:298. [PMID: 31850340 PMCID: PMC6896825 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost 50% of the infertility cases are due to male factors. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) allow to overcome the incapacity of these patients' spermatozoa to fertilize the oocyte and produce a viable and healthy offspring, but the efficiency of the different techniques has still the potential to improve. According to the latest reports of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC), the percentages of deliveries per ART cycle in 2014 and 2016 were 21 and 22%, respectively. Among the reasons for this relatively low efficiency, the quality of the spermatozoa has been pointed out as critical, and the presence of high percentages of DNA-damaged spermatozoa in patients' ejaculates is possibly one of the main factors reducing the ARTs outcomes. Thus, one of the main challenges in reproductive medicine is to ensure the highest quality of the spermatozoa used in ARTs, and specifically, in terms of genetic integrity. The latest techniques for the preparation and selection of human spermatozoa are herein discussed focusing on those proven to improve one or several of the following parameters: sperm genetic integrity, fertilization capacity, embryo production, and in vitro survival, as well as pregnancy and delivery rates following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In addition, we discuss the potential of techniques developed in non-human mammals that could be further transferred to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Ruiz-Díaz
- Mistral Fertility Clinics S.L., Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Priscila Ramos-Ibeas
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Serafín Pérez-Cerezales
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain
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Nagata MB, Egashira J, Katafuchi N, Endo K, Ogata K, Yamanaka K, Yamanouchi T, Matsuda H, Hashiyada Y, Yamashita K. Bovine sperm selection procedure prior to cryopreservation for improvement of post-thawed semen quality and fertility. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2019; 10:91. [PMID: 31807306 PMCID: PMC6857337 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-019-0395-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The application of cryopreservation and artificial insemination technology have contributed to the advancement of animal reproduction. However, a substantial proportion of spermatozoa undergoes alterations and loses their fertility during cryopreservation, rendering the frozen-thawed semen impractical for routine use. Cryopreservation is known to reduce sperm lifespan and fertility. Variation in cryosurvival of spermatozoa from different sires and even with the individual sire is common in artificial insemination (AI) centers. Our goal is to improve post-thawed semen quality by optimization of cryopreservation technique through sperm selection prior to cryopreservation process. Results Our strategy of sperm selection based on rheotaxis and thermotaxis (SSRT) on macrosale in a rotating fluid flow demonstrated the ability to maintain the original pre-freezing structural integrity, viability and biological function related to fertilization competence. This strategy has a positive effect on the cryosurvival and fertilizing abilities of spermatozoa as supported by the improvement on pregnancy rate of Japanese Black heifers and Holstein repeat breeders. This technique protected further sublethal damage to bovine spermatozoa (higher % cryosurvival than the control) and resulted in the improvement of DNA integrity. Prefreeze selected spermatozoa demonstrated slower and controlled capacitation than unprocessed control which is thought to be related to sperm longevity and consequently to appropriate timing during in vivo fertilization. Conclusions These results provide solid evidence that improvement of post-thawed semen quality by SSRT method is beneficial in terms of cryosurvival, longevity of post-thawed sperm, and optimization of in vivo fertilization, embryo development and calving as supported by the favorable results of field fertility study.
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Affiliation(s)
- MariaPortia B Nagata
- 1Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 807-1 Shuku-machi, Tosu, Saga, 841-0052 Japan
| | - Junki Egashira
- Saga Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station, 23242-2 Yamauchi-machi, Miyano, Takeo, Saga, 849-2305 Japan
| | - Naoto Katafuchi
- Saga Prefectural Livestock Experiment Station, 23242-2 Yamauchi-machi, Miyano, Takeo, Saga, 849-2305 Japan
| | - Kenji Endo
- Morinaga Dairy Service Co. Ltd., 1-159 Toyoharaotsu, Nasu-gun Nasu-machi, Tochigi, 329-3224 Japan
| | - Kazuko Ogata
- 4National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), 1 Odakurahara, Odakura, Nishigo-mura, Nishishirakawa-gun, Fukushima, 961-8511 Japan.,5Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ikenodai 2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0901 Japan
| | - Kenichi Yamanaka
- 6Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, 1 Honjo-machi, Saga, 840-8502 Japan
| | - Tadayuki Yamanouchi
- 4National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), 1 Odakurahara, Odakura, Nishigo-mura, Nishishirakawa-gun, Fukushima, 961-8511 Japan
| | - Hideo Matsuda
- 4National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), 1 Odakurahara, Odakura, Nishigo-mura, Nishishirakawa-gun, Fukushima, 961-8511 Japan
| | - Yutaka Hashiyada
- 4National Livestock Breeding Center (NLBC), 1 Odakurahara, Odakura, Nishigo-mura, Nishishirakawa-gun, Fukushima, 961-8511 Japan.,7Ishikawa Prefectural University, 1-308 Suematsu, Nonoichi-shi, Ishikawa, 921-8836 Japan
| | - Kenichi Yamashita
- 1Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 807-1 Shuku-machi, Tosu, Saga, 841-0052 Japan
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Melatonin Improves the Fertilization Capacity of Sex-Sorted Bull Sperm by Inhibiting Apoptosis and Increasing Fertilization Capacitation via MT1. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20163921. [PMID: 31409031 PMCID: PMC6720564 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Little information is available regarding the effect of melatonin on the quality and fertilization capability of sex-sorted bull sperm, and even less about the associated mechanism. Sex-sorted sperm from three individual bulls were washed twice in wash medium and incubated in a fertilization medium for 1.5 h, and each was supplemented with melatonin (0, 10−3 M, 10−5 M, 10−7 M, and 10−9 M). The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endogenous antioxidant activity (glutathione peroxidase (GPx); superoxide dismutase (SOD); catalase (CAT)), apoptosis (phosphatidylserine [PS] externalization; mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm)), acrosomal integrity events (malondialdehyde (MDA) level; acrosomal integrity), capacitation (calcium ion [Ca2+]i level; cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP); capacitation level), and fertilization ability of the sperm were assessed. Melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) and 2 (MT2) expression were examined to investigate the involvement of melatonin receptors on sex-sorted bull sperm capacitation. Our results show that treatment with 10−5 M melatonin significantly decreased the ROS level and increased the GPx, SOD, and CAT activities of sex-sorted bull sperm, which inhibited PS externalization and MDA levels, and improved Δψm, acrosomal integrity, and fertilization ability. Further experiments showed that melatonin regulates sperm capacitation via MT1. These findings contribute to improving the fertilization capacity of sex-sorted bull sperm and exploring the associated mechanism.
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Riordon J, Tarlan F, You JB, Zhang B, Graham PJ, Kong T, Wang Y, Lagunov A, Hannam T, Jarvi K, Sinton D. Two-dimensional planar swimming selects for high DNA integrity sperm. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:2161-2167. [PMID: 31093628 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00209j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Selection of high-quality sperm is critical to the success of assisted reproductive technologies. Clinical screening for top sperm has long focused on sperm swimming ability when following boundaries or when fully free of constraints. In this work, we demonstrate a sperm selection approach with parallel 2 μm tall confined selection channels that prohibit rotation of the sperm head and require planar swimming. We demonstrate that a planar swimming subpopulation of sperm capable of entering and navigating these channels has DNA integrity superior to the freely-swimming motile or raw sperm populations over a wide range of semen sample qualities. The DNA integrity of the selected sperm was significantly higher than that of the corresponding raw samples for donor samples and clinical patient samples, respectively. In side-by-side testing, this method outperforms current clinical selection methods, density gradient centrifugation and swim-up, as well as sperm selected via general motility. Planar swimming represents a viable sperm selection mechanism with the potential to improve outcomes for couples and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Riordon
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Rd, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada.
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Weng L. IVF-on-a-Chip: Recent Advances in Microfluidics Technology for In Vitro Fertilization. SLAS Technol 2019; 24:373-385. [PMID: 31145861 DOI: 10.1177/2472630319851765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In vitro fertilization (IVF) has been one of the most exciting modern medical technologies. It has transformed the landscape of human infertility treatment. However, current IVF procedures still provide limited accessibility and affordability to most infertile couples because of the multiple cumbersome processes and heavy dependence on technically skilled personnel. Microfluidics technology offers unique opportunities to automate IVF procedures, reduce stress imposed upon gametes and embryos, and minimize the operator-to-operator variability. This article describes the rapidly evolving state of the application of microfluidics technology in the field of IVF, summarizes the diverse angles of how microfluidics has been complementing or transforming current IVF protocols, and discusses the challenges that motivate continued innovation in this field.
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