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Isolating motile sperm cell sorting using biocompatible electrospun membranes.
Roberto D Katigbak1, Ludovic F Dumée2, Lingxue Kong3
1Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia.
Scientific Reports
|April 12, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a novel method using electrospun membranes to isolate motile sperm cells, enhancing viability and reducing processing time. This technique offers a faster, gentler alternative to traditional centrifugation for sperm processing.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Biomaterials Science
- Bioengineering
Background:
- Sperm motility is crucial for fertilization and indicates sperm viability.
- Traditional centrifugation for sperm processing can decrease sperm quality due to reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate an alternative method for isolating motile sperm cells using solution electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) membranes.
- To provide a faster and gentler sperm isolation technique compared to centrifugation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized solution electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) membranes with pore sizes of 5-6 µm in a 3D printed module.
- Developed a novel sperm isolation setup bypassing the centrifugation step.
- Tested the method on frozen semen samples without pre-treatment.
Main Results:
- Achieved 74% purity in isolating motile sperm cells.
- Reduced processing time by 98% compared to centrifugation.
- Demonstrated the potential for scalable application in various farming scales.
Conclusions:
- The proposed membrane-based method offers a high-purity, rapid, and gentle alternative for isolating motile spermatozoa.
- This technique bypasses centrifugation, preserving sperm biochemical integrity.
- The method is easily scalable and applicable directly to frozen semen samples.
