Cellular Cargo Delivery: Toward Assisted Fertilization by Sperm-Carrying Micromotors

We present artificially motorized sperm cellsa novel type of hybrid micromotor, where customized microhelices serve as motors for transporting sperm cells with motion deficiencies to help them carry out their natural function. Our results indicate that metal-coated polymer microhelices are suitable...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2016-01, Vol.16 (1), p.555-561
Main Authors: Medina-Sánchez, Mariana, Schwarz, Lukas, Meyer, Anne K, Hebenstreit, Franziska, Schmidt, Oliver G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asthenozoospermia - pathology
Asthenozoospermia - therapy
Cell Movement - physiology
Fertilization
Humans
Male
Nanotechnology
Polymers - chemistry
Reproductive Techniques, Assisted
Spermatozoa - chemistry
Spermatozoa - physiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We present artificially motorized sperm cellsa novel type of hybrid micromotor, where customized microhelices serve as motors for transporting sperm cells with motion deficiencies to help them carry out their natural function. Our results indicate that metal-coated polymer microhelices are suitable for this task due to potent, controllable, and nonharmful 3D motion behavior. We manage to capture, transport, and release single immotile live sperm cells in fluidic channels that allow mimicking physiological conditions. Important steps toward fertilization are addressed by employing proper means of sperm selection and oocyte culturing. Despite the fact that there still remain some challenges on the way to achieve successful fertilization with artificially motorized sperms, we believe that the potential of this novel approach toward assisted reproduction can be already put into perspective with the present work.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04221