Non-invasive manipulation of gametes by micromotors for assisted reproduction

Datum

22.08.2017

Zeit

13:30 - 14:30

Sprecher

Lukas Schwarz

Zugehörigkeit

IIN

Sprache

en

Hauptthema

Materialien

Andere Themen

Materialien, Physik

Host

Kristina Krummer-Meier

Beschreibung

Infertility is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a disease of the reproductive system [1]. If conventional therapeutic or surgical methods fail to treat such male or female factor disorders, assisted reproductive technology (ART), which comprises the in vitro handling of gametes (sperm cells and oocytes) or zygotes/embryos, serves as last resort to make pregnancy possible [1]. Besides ethical concerns, the major drawbacks of ART are success rate, medical risks and patient discomfort of its last step, the re-implantation of in vitro-cultured embryos [2]. To solve these difficulties, we investigate non-invasive surgery operations by un-tethered, microrobotic devices to directly manipulate gametes and zygotes (fertilized oocytes) with the aim to assist fertilization and embryo development in vivo. Manipulation and assistance of cells by artificial attachments or carrier devices to realize biomedical applications experienced significant attention and progress in recent years [3]. In our labs, we showed the transportation of individual immotile sperm cells to the oocyte by magnetic microhelices in an in vitro setup to overcome severe male factor infertility [4]. Building up on this work, methods of collective sperm transport and delivery were explored to improve efficiency. Also, the manipulation of oocytes and zygotes by scaled-up magnetic micromotors to assist embryo development was investigated. Finally, a novel 3D cell culture system to cultivate oviduct epithelial cells in tubular confinement was designed to investigate sperm and oocyte behavior and micromotor-assisted reproduction technologies under realistic physiological conditions in an artificial oviduct setup. Current results and future experiments will be discussed in this seminar talk.

Links

• Seminars at the IFW

Letztmalig verändert: 22.08.2017, 10:00:22