Smooth enucleation of bovine oocyte by microrobot with local flow speed control in microchannel

摘要

In this study, we present a smooth enucleation process on a microfluidic chip. To improve the success rate of enucleation and increasing the potential viability of the enucleated oocyte, a microfluidic system is specially designed. Magnetically driven MicroTool (MMT) control the flow distribution in the microchamber. Designed microchannel with height difference is for the purpose of confining oocyte with its nucleus located in the withdrawal microchannel to achieve the high precision control in cutting volume. By utilizing these aspects, first, oocytes are sequentially loaded to the operation port; MMT constrains the oocyte location and controls the distribution of micro flow simultaneously letting hydraulic force cut off the nucleus from the oocyte. Enucleated oocyte is smooth in shape and incision is neat. With cutting volume control, this system can achieve high-speed enucleation with less cutting volume while removing the nucleus. Since the flow distribution could be managed by MMT significantly, therefore, the new system is proposed here to show advantages by the means of operation speed, cutting precision and great potentiality on continuous cutting process.