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Objectives: To demonstrate a novel prototype microfluidic system for rapid isolation of sperm from real and simulated microdissection testicular sperm extraction samples.
Methods: The novel microfluidic system was tested using minced testicular biopsies from patients with nonobstructive azoospermia. The samples were split into 2 portions, conventional processing vs microfluidic. The embryologists were blinded to the processing protocol and searched the specimens for sperm after processing. We recorded the number of sperm found and the time to sperm identification and compared the sperm retrieval rates.
Results: When compared to conventional methods, samples processed through the microfluidic system were cleaner (decreased somatic cells/debris), with the average number of sperm identified per minute improving from 1.52 sperm per minute for the control and 13.5 sperm per minute with the device yielding an 8.88 fold improvement in the sperm found per minute for the device as compared to the control. Preliminary viability and morphology tests show a minimal impact on sperm processed through the microfluidic system.
Conclusion: The presented microfluidic system can facilitate rapid and efficient isolation of sperm from microdissection testicular sperm extraction samples. A prospective clinical trial to verify these results is needed to confirm this preliminary data.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2019.12.053 | DOI Listing |
Adv Healthc Mater
September 2025
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
Organ-on-chip (OOC) technologies, also called microphysiological systems (MPS), offer dynamic microenvironments that improve upon static culture systems, yet widespread adoption has been hindered by fabrication complexity, reliance on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and limited modularity. Here, a modular MPS platform is presented, designed for ease of use, reproducibility, and broad applicability. The system comprises layered elastomeric inserts for dual monolayer cell culture, which is clamped within a reusable acrylic cassette for perfusion studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnalyst
September 2025
School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Microfluidics-assisted spatially barcoded microarray technology offers a high-throughput, low-cost approach towards spatial transcriptomic profiling. A uniform barcoded microarray is crucial for spatially unbiased mRNA analysis. However, non-specific adsorption of barcoding reagents in microchannels occurs during liquid transport, causing non-uniform barcoding in the chip's functional regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Toxicol
September 2025
RTI International, Washington, DC, USA.
Technological advances and the desire to reduce dependence on animal models have brought human-relevant models to the forefront of drug development. This paradigm shift is leveraging the advances in systems and new approach methodologies (NAMs), which was the focus of a workshop convened by the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) in May 2024. Highlights included discussions on predicting cardiac failure modes and the utility of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), microfluidic systems like BioFlux™, and engineered heart tissues in enhancing early-stage drug safety assessments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnal Chem
September 2025
Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, 6 East Packer Avenue, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are responsible for the oxidative truncation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The products of these reactions have been implicated in many diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. As increasing attention is directed toward these oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs), higher throughput methods are needed to examine interactions between oxPLs and scavenger receptors in the immune system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMethods
September 2025
Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang 150081, PR China. Electronic address:
Single-cell surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has emerged as a powerful tool for precision medicine owing to its label-free detection, ultrasensitivity, and unique molecular fingerprinting. Unlike conventional bulk analysis, it enables detailed characterization of cellular heterogeneity, with particular promise in circulating tumor cell (CTC) identification, tumor microenvironment (TME) metabolic profiling, subcellular imaging, and drug sensitivity assessment. Coupled with microfluidic droplet systems, SERS supports high-throughput single-cell analysis and multiparametric screening, while integration with complementary modalities such as fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry enhances temporal and spatial resolution for monitoring live cells.
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