Abstract
The study created a simple microfluidic platform that uses with in-vitro fertilization (IVF). It has four parts including: (1) Microdroplets generation and cell separation, (2) Sorting area, (3) Storage area, and (4) Waste area. In this study, it is divided into three steps as follow. First, the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flow-focusing microfluidic device was used for micrometer-size medium-in-oil microdroplets generation. The volume of microdroplets can be controlled by adjusting the flow rates of both oil and medium solutions. The microdroplets formation by "push-pull" system significantly reduces the loss of embryos, and micro-pneumatic valve to control the flow channel switching and also successfully isolated microdroplets with embryo cells to the storage area. The second step, storage area be design, then mono-dispersed microdroplets keep the stability by detergent and also to test for the detergent toxicity. The third step, the air valve was control sorting cell encapsulation into the storage area. It reduces medium volumes, cell culture cost, evaporation problem and prevents contamination risk. This droplet-based microfluidics system provides a dynamic and non-continuous culture condition for mimicking the in vivo cell development IVF research.