title: A microfluidic device to reduce treatment time of intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a microfluidic device that can reduce the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment time by increasing sperm concentration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the ICSI treatment time required for porcine sperm using a method employing the microfluidic device and one using the conventional microdroplet method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic research laboratories at Okayama University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive cells of porcine sperm, oocytes, and embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell manipulations, ICSI, and embryo culture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Average ICSI treatment time and sperm concentration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average ICSI treatment time (mean ± SEM) using the method with the microfluidic device for poor-quality semen (sperm concentration, 2.0 × 10(4) cells/mL) was significantly shorter than the treatment time using the conventional microdroplet method (265 ± 15 seconds [n = 43] vs. 347 ± 19 seconds [n = 50]). When diluted semen with a sperm concentration of 2.0 × 10(5) cells/mL was used, no significant difference was observed between the two methods (n = 50 and n = 48).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The microfluidic device can reduce the time required for ICSI treatment that is used to increase sperm concentration in poor-quality semen samples. The results suggest that this device may be clinically useful for ICSI treatment in human assisted reproductive technology.
authors.affiliation: Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan. kojimatu@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uozumi
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuichi
authors.forename: Ikuyo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Mieko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013048:Specimen Handling; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine; D017748:Time Management / Q000379:methods*