Oocyte growth and analysis are critical in assisted reproductive procedures. Traditional microdrop culture might encounter several disadvantages, including time consumption, manual handling, and lack of automation. These methods may struggle to replicate the dynamic follicular environment, hence reducing oocyte competence. This study introduces a biochip designed for the hydrodynamic trapping and long-term culture of single oocytes based on the micropillar concept that includes interleaved trap units. Each unit consists of a three-micropillar-based structure that not only captures single oocyte automatically but also enhances its exposure to the culture medium. This design enhances the oocytes’ exposure to the culture medium by increasing surface area and facilitating dynamic culture with a continuous supply of nutrients, hormones, and waste removal. The hydrodynamic trapping mechanism utilizing a micropillar structure was verified using the finite element method. The simulation results verified the trapping mechanism and the interaction between oocytes and medium using the proposed pillar-based microfluidic structure. Initial fabrication results have also been reported in this work. The obtained results validated the ability of the proposed microfluidic chip device for automatic trapping and long-term culture of single oocytes, establishing a solid foundation for optimizing and further exploring the proposed biochip. This biochip can be integrated with other on-chip functions to create a multifunction lab-on-a-chip platform for assisted reproduction procedures.

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Development of a Micropillar-Based Concept for Hydrodynamic Trapping and Long-Term Culture of Single Oocytes

  • Thu Hang Nguyen,
  • Ngoc Anh Nguyen Thi,
  • Nam Anh Ngo,
  • Hoang Trung Nguyen,
  • Linh Nguyen Thi,
  • Quang Loc Do,
  • Jens Ducrée,
  • Duc Trinh Chu,
  • Thanh Tung Bui

摘要

Oocyte growth and analysis are critical in assisted reproductive procedures. Traditional microdrop culture might encounter several disadvantages, including time consumption, manual handling, and lack of automation. These methods may struggle to replicate the dynamic follicular environment, hence reducing oocyte competence. This study introduces a biochip designed for the hydrodynamic trapping and long-term culture of single oocytes based on the micropillar concept that includes interleaved trap units. Each unit consists of a three-micropillar-based structure that not only captures single oocyte automatically but also enhances its exposure to the culture medium. This design enhances the oocytes’ exposure to the culture medium by increasing surface area and facilitating dynamic culture with a continuous supply of nutrients, hormones, and waste removal. The hydrodynamic trapping mechanism utilizing a micropillar structure was verified using the finite element method. The simulation results verified the trapping mechanism and the interaction between oocytes and medium using the proposed pillar-based microfluidic structure. Initial fabrication results have also been reported in this work. The obtained results validated the ability of the proposed microfluidic chip device for automatic trapping and long-term culture of single oocytes, establishing a solid foundation for optimizing and further exploring the proposed biochip. This biochip can be integrated with other on-chip functions to create a multifunction lab-on-a-chip platform for assisted reproduction procedures.