Dielectrophoretic oocyte selection chip for in vitro fertilization.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Biotechnology
• Cellular Engineering

Background:

• Conventional manual selection of oocytes relies heavily on expert experience, lacking standardized criteria for quality assessment.
• Objective and reliable methods are needed to improve oocyte selection for assisted reproductive technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel dielectrophoretic separation method for selecting high-quality porcine oocytes.
• To establish objective criteria for oocyte selection based on dielectrophoretic velocity.

Main Methods:

• An electrode array chip with a castellated shape was designed for dielectrophoretic separation.
• Porcine oocytes were subjected to an AC 3 V waveform at 1 MHz for 15 s to measure dielectrophoretic velocities.
• Oocyte developmental potential was assessed based on their movement in response to dielectrophoresis (DEP).

Main Results:

• Oocytes exhibiting dielectrophoretic movement demonstrated superior developmental potential compared to those that remained stationary.
• DEP-selected oocytes showed significantly higher blastocyst formation rates and lower polyspermic fertilization rates.
• The developmental potential of oocytes selected by the DEP method was comparable to the conventional manual selection process.

Conclusions:

• Dielectrophoretic velocity differences can serve as an objective criterion for selecting viable oocytes.
• This dielectrophoretic separation method offers a pathway for developing automated oocyte selection tools.
• The technology holds promise for advancing assisted reproductive technologies, including transgenic and clonal animal production.