Effects of a microfluidic sperm sorter on sperm routine parameters and DNA integrity / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of a microfluidic sperm sorter on the routine parameters and DNA integrity of human sperm.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We divided 40 semen samples into two aliquots and performed sperm sorting using a self-made polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic sperm sorter and the swim-up method, respectively. Then we evaluated and compared the effects of these two methods on the sperm routine parameters and DNA integrity by computer-assisted sperm analysis and sperm chromatin dispersion test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After processing, sperm motility, normal morphology and tail hypoosmotic swelling rate were significantly improved, while sperm DNA damage remarkably decreased (P < 0.01). The microfluidic sperm sorter achieved a significantly lower rate of sperm DNA damage than the swim-up method ([ 8.4 +/- 5.8 ]% vs [16.4 +/- 9.2] %, P < 0.01), but no statistically significant differences were found in all other parameters between the two methods.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High-quality sperm with less DNA integrity damage could be obtained in sperm sorting with the microfluidic sperm sorter.</p>