title: Make it spin: individual trapping of sperm for analysis and recovery using micro-contact printing.
abstract: In this article, we describe the development of a high throughput platform to spatially manipulate viable sperm for motility measurements and recovery of the best single sperm for fertilization purposes. Micro-contact printing was used to pattern islands of adhesive proteins (fibronectin) separated by sperm repellent species (Pluronic acid F-127) on commercially available polystyrene substrates. Following washing, arrays of viable single sperm were captured onto the islands demonstrating for the first time that sperm can be trapped by micro-contact printing with patterning efficiency of 90% while retaining 100% viability. These were then subjected to motility analysis whilst remaining spatially confined to the islands. Single sperm motility was assessed (n = 37) by software analysis measuring the number of rotations per second (degrees s⁻¹). The assignment of array coordinates allows the more active single sperm to be easily identified and recovered by a simple micromanipulator pipette aspiration step with automated possibility for assisted reproductive technologies or further quality correlation analysis. Taken together, we show for the first time a technique to simultaneously screen thousands of viable single sperm for motility assessment while retaining the ability for single species recovery for enhanced fertilization purposes.
authors.affiliation: BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Frimat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bronkhorst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Wagenaar
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bomer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Segerink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D002470:Cell Survival; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000662:veterinary; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D055767:Immobilized Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000662:veterinary; D009426:Netherlands; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D012984:Software; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D055767:Immobilized Proteins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D020442:Poloxamer