Hydrophobic silicone elastomer chamber for recording trajectories of motile porcine sperms without adsorption.
Motile porcine sperms adhere to hydrophilic materials such as glass and plastics. The adsorption of sperms to a hydrophobic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane is less compared with that to glass. We investigated the linear velocity (LV) and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALHD) of motile porcine sperm on glass and PDMS preparations using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Significant decreases were observed in the 15-min LV (P<0.05) and ALHD (P<0.05) in motile porcine sperm on glass preparations compared with those on PDMS preparations. These differences were due to adsorption of the head and/or neck to hydrophilic substrates. Because of the elasticity of PDMS, we propose that a PDMS membrane should be used for CASA. To investigate the dynamics of motile porcine sperms with microfluidics, we do not recommend plasma treatment to bond PDMS and glass in the microchannel preparation; instead, we suggest that a PDMS molding process without plasma treatment be used for preparation of microfluidic channels.
Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan. kojimatu@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
Koji
K
Matsuura
Yuka
Y
Kuroda
Keisuke
K
Yamashita
Hiroaki
H
Funahashi
D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000737:chemistry; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D013499:Surface Properties; D034421:Sus scrofa
D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; C013830:baysilon