title: [Sperm sorting based on the imitation of the physiological process on the microfluidic chip].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a new method for sperm sorting by imitating the physiological process of sperm-cervical mucus interaction on the microfluidic chip.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a microfluidic chip to imitate the physiological process of natural sperm sorting in the microchannel based on the interaction between sperm and cervical mucus, and obtained motile sperm after the interaction. Meanwhile, we established an integrated real-time sperm detection reservoir on this chip to determine sperm parameters using the computer-assisted sperm analysis system. We analyzed 30 samples using both microfluidic and swim-up methods, and compared the results with those obtained before sorting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of grade a + b sperm, the rate of morphologically normal sperm, straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP) and straightness (STR) were (29.78 +/- 11.24)%, (8.00 +/- 5.19)%, (18.89 +/- 4.90) microm/s, (26.84 +/- 5.13) microm/s and (70.15 +/- 7.61)%, respectively, before sorting, (71.65 +/- 11.18)%, (14.95 +/- 6.79)%, (24.14 +/- 5.95) microm/s, (32.61 +/- 6.36) microm/s and (73.87 +/- 9.34)%, respectively, after swim-up sorting, and (92.37 +/- 6.33)%, (23.33 +/- 7.67)%, (34.03 +/- 16.78) microm/s, (38.73 +/- 16.40) microm/s and (84.91 +/- 12.56)%, respectively, after sorting on the microfluidic chip. The sperm parameters obtained before sorting showed statistically significant differences from those obtained on the chip (P < 0.01) and by the swim-up method (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imitation of the physiological interaction between sperm and cervical mucus on the microfluidic chip helped the realization of both the natural sorting and real-time analysis of sperm. The quality of the sperm sorted on the microfluidic chip is significantly better than that of the sperm before sorting and sorted by the swim-up method. This has prepared the ground for imitating the fertilization process under the physiological condition on the microfluidic chip.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Guangzhou Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Chao
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Xuan
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-Tie
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiao-Mian
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement; D002469:Cell Separation; D002582:Cervix Mucus; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*