Acta Medica Okayama 73巻 3号
2019-06 発行

Spiral Trajectory Modulation of Rheotaxic Motile Human Sperm in Cylindrical Microfluidic Channels of Different Inner Diameters

Nishina, Saori Cardiovascular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Matsuura, Koji Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Okayama University of Science
Naruse, Keiji Cardiovascular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Publication Date
2019-06
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between human sperm rheotaxis and motile sperm trajectories by using poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based cylindrical microfluidic channels with inner diameters of 100 μm, 50 μm, and 70 μm, which corresponded to the inner diameter of the human isthmus, the length of a sperm and a diameter intermediate between the two, respectively. We counted the number of rheotaxic sperm and sperm with spiral motion. We also analyzed motile sperm trajectories. As the cylindrical channel diameter was decreased, the percentage of sperm cells exhibiting rheotaxis, the percentage of sperm cells exhibiting spiral motion, the frequency-to-diameter ratio of the sperm cells’ spiral trajectories, and the surface area of the microfluidic channel increased, while the flagellar motion at the channel wall decreased. The percentage of sperm exhibiting a spiral trajectory and the frequency-to-diameter ratio of the sperm cells’ spiral trajectories were thus affected by the channel diameter. Our findings suggest that the oviduct structure affects the swimming properties of sperm cells, guiding them from the uterus to the ampulla for egg fertilization. These results could contribute to the development of motile sperm-sorting microfluidic devices for assisted reproductive technologies.
Document Type
Original Article
Keywords
sperm motility
trajectory
microfluidic channel
rheotaxis
oviduct structure
Link to PubMed
ISSN
0386-300X
NCID
AA00508441
JaLC DOI
DOI:
73_3_213.pdf 3.11 MB