Iranian Journal of Manufacturing Engineering

Iranian Journal of Manufacturing Engineering

Separation of healthy sperms using dielectrophoresis and thigmotaxis phenomena

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Khouzestani 1
Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani 2
Yousef Hojjat 3
Marziyeh Tavalaee 4
Hesam Sadeghian 5
1 PhD Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Professor, Royan Biotechnology Research Institute, Royan Institute, Isfahan, Iran
3 Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
4 Associate Professor, Royan Biotechnology Research Institute, Royan Institute, Isfahan, Iran
5 PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/ijme.2024.422437.1870
Abstract
Separation of healthy sperm (motile and with the best DNA structure) is traditionally done by density gradient centrifugation or upward swimming methods. In recent years, microfluidic methods have been developed to separate motile sperm with the best morphology and DNA structure and will replace traditional methods in close future. Microfluidic systems require a smaller sample volume, which, in addition to higher purity, has advantages such as cost reduction and test time reduction.. In this research, by using thigmotaxis phenomenon in which sperms follow the channel wall and also positive dielectrophoresis phenomenon in which traps the particles based on applying non uniform electric field, a microfluidic actuator is presented. By using a large number of microchannel parallel to each other, the motile sperm, follow the walls and move to the end of channels. Then, by applying 1 MHz in 3 V, the positive dielectrophoresis force traps the sperms with low motility, but the sperms with high motility have the ability to escape from the electric field and reach the outlet of the channel. In order to check the electric field and also the fluid flow in the channels, Comsol software was used. Based on the design and simulation, the sperm separation actuator was manufactured and tested. The clinical tests results showed that compared to the inlet of the device, the motility was increased from 54% to 81% and the viability was increased from 56% to 75% in the outlet of the manufactured system.
Keywords
Sperm
Microfluidic
Dielectrophoresis
Separation
Thigmotaxis
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