Sperm selection in assisted reproductive technology programs using active microfluidic methods based on positive rheotaxis

Over the past 50 years, there has been a global decline in the quality of human sperm. Reports suggest that approximately 10-15% of couples worldwide experience difficulties in conceiving, and impaired spermatogenesis is responsible for 30-50% of these cases. The selection of high-quality motile spermatozoa from semen samples is an important step that largely determines the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). A lot of information has been collected in recent years about how sperm move through the female reproductive tract. Microfluidics-based devices make it possible to perform a more appropriate selection of spermatozoa in terms of motility, viability, DNA integrity and morphology, as they provide the opportunity to mimic the natural conditions and obstacles acting on spermatozoa in the natural environment of the female body. Due to the modelling and control of the conditions affecting the semen sample, these devices are able to select spermatozoa with the highest potential for successful fertilization.

This review provides new scientific evidence on the use of the ability of sperm to move against the fluid current during the embryological phase of fertility treatment programs using ART. Novel devices (lab-on-a-chip) that can be successfully integrated into the clinical practice of selecting male gametes by a clinical embryologist are also described. The review includes the data of foreign and Russian articles found in PubMed and e-Library systems published over the last 10 years.

Conclusion: Active microfluidics is a promising area of research for developing sperm selection methods that could improve the effectiveness of assisted reproduction procedures and result in better clinical outcomes.