Analysis of sperm concentration and motility in a microfluidic device

作者：Chen Yu An; Huang Zi Wei; Tsai Fang Sheng; Chen Chang Yu; Lin Cheng Ming; Wo Andrew M^*

来源：Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2011, 10(1): 59-67.

DOI：10.1007/s10404-010-0646-8

• Microfluidics
• Sperm
• Infertility
• Resistive pulse technique

A home-use device that allows rapid and quantitative sperm quality analysis is desirable but not yet fully realized. To aid this effort, this article presents a microfluidic device capable of quantifying sperm quality in terms of two critical fertility-related parameters-motile sperm concentration and motility. The microdevice produces flow field for sperms to swim against, and sperms that overcame the flow within a specified time are propelled along in a separate channel and counted via resistive pulse technique. Data are compared to two control methods clinically utilized for sperm quality exam-hemocytometer and the sperm quality analyzer. Results reveal the numbers of pulses generated by passage of sperms correlates strongly with the two control methods: pulse number from 0 to 335 corresponds to progressively motile sperm concentrations from 0 to 19 x 10(6)/ml (hemocytometer) and Sperm Motility Index from 0 to 204 (sperm quality analyzer). The microdevice should be applicable to facilitate self-assessment of sperm quality at home.

• 出版日期2011-1