A microfluidic chip for in vitro oocyte maturation

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are becoming an increasingly important technology to overcome infertility. In vitro maturation (IVM) is an especially attractive approach for human ART. In this work, a novel microfluidic device that integrates oocyte trapping and maturation is reported. The proposed microfluidic system mimics the in vivo conditions to increase the maturation efficiency of mammalian oocytes. We designed an optimal microchamber array to achieve the integration of oocyte trapping and maturation within a microfluidic device. The device is then implemented using standard soft lithography techniques in a way that oocytes can be individuallymonitored and tracked in our devices during their maturation. The fabricated microfluidic device has been assessed during various practices for its effectiveness on oocyte entrapment and maturation. Experimental results showed that the maturation level of oocytes in the microfluidic device is very similar to in vivo conditions. The present study shows that microfluidic devices have great potential for efficient and healthy culturing of oocytes. é 2016 American Scientific Publishers.