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Karcz A, Van Soom A, Smits K, Van Vlierberghe S, Verplancke R, Pascottini OB, Van den Abbeel E, Vanfleteren J. Development of a Microfluidic Chip Powered by EWOD for In Vitro Manipulation of Bovine Embryos. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13040419. [PMID: 37185494 PMCID: PMC10136516 DOI: 10.3390/bios13040419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) holds great potential for the alleviation of laboratory procedures in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). The electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) technology provides dynamic culture conditions in vitro that may better mimic the natural embryo microenvironment. Thus far, EWOD microdevices have been proposed for in vitro gamete and embryo handling in mice and for analyzing the human embryo secretome. This article presents the development of the first microfluidic chip utilizing EWOD technology designed for the manipulation of bovine embryos in vitro. The prototype sustains the cell cycles of embryos manipulated individually on the chips during in vitro culture (IVC). Challenges related to the chip fabrication as well as to its application during bovine embryo IVC in accordance with the adapted on-chip protocol are thoroughly discussed, and future directions for DMF in ARTs are indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Karcz
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Ann Van Soom
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Katrien Smits
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Campus Sterre, Building S4, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rik Verplancke
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Osvaldo Bogado Pascottini
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Etienne Van den Abbeel
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Vanfleteren
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
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Qu P, Shen C, Du Y, Qin H, Luo S, Fu S, Dong Y, Guo S, Hu F, Xue Y, Liu E. Melatonin Protects Rabbit Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) Embryos from Electrofusion Damage. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2186. [PMID: 32042116 PMCID: PMC7010831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59161-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The study’s objectives were to examine the effects of electrofusion on rabbit somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, and to test melatonin as a protective agent against electrofusion damage to SCNT embryos. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the epigenetic state (H3K9me3), and the content of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated transcripts (IRE-1 and CHOP) were measured. Melatonin was added during the preimplantation development period. The total blastocyst cell numbers were counted, and the fragmentation rate and apoptotic index were determined and used to assess embryonic development. Electrofusion increased (1) ROS levels at the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-cell stages; (2) H3K9me3 levels at the 2-, 4-, and 8-cell stage; and (3) the expression of IRE-1 and CHOP at the 8-cell, 16-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages. The treatment of SCNT embryos with melatonin significantly reduced the level of ROS and H3K9me3, and the expression levels of IRE-1 and CHOP. This treatment also significantly reduced the fragmentation rate and apoptotic index of blastocysts and increased their total cell number. In conclusion, the electrofusion of rabbit SCNT embryos induced oxidative stress, disturbed the epigenetic state, and caused ER stress, while melatonin reduced this damage. Our findings are of signal importance for improving the efficiency of SCNT and for optimizing the application of electrical stimulation in other biomedical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Qu
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China.,Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Chong Shen
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Yue Du
- Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hongyu Qin
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Shiwei Luo
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Sixin Fu
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Yue Dong
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Shuaiqingying Guo
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Fang Hu
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Ying Xue
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Enqi Liu
- Laboratory Animal Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China. .,Research Institute of Atherosclerotic Disease, Xi'an Jiaotong University Cardiovascular Research Centre, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China.
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Osychenko A, Zalessky A, Astafiev A, Shakhov A, Kostrov A, Krivokharchenko A, Nadtochenko V. Femtosecond laser-induced blastomere fusion results in embryo tetraploidy by common metaphase plate formation. Exp Cell Res 2020; 389:111887. [PMID: 32027865 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.111887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The cell fusion is a widespread process, which takes place in many systems in vivo and in vitro. Fusion of cells is frequently related to tetraploidy, which can be found within natural physiological conditions, e.g., placentation, and in pathophysiological conditions, such as cancer and early pregnancy failure in humans. Here we investigate the mechanism of tetraploidization with help of femtosecond laser-induced mouse blastomere fusion by the means of Hoechst staining, GFP, BODIPY dyes and fluorescent species generated intracellularly by a femtosecond laser. We establish diffusive mixing of cytosol, whereas the large components of a cytoplasm (organelles, cytoskeleton) are poorly diffusible and are not completely mixed after cell fusion and a subsequent division. We show that mechanisms which are responsible for the formation of a common metaphase plate triggered tetraploidization in fused mouse embryos and could be a significant factor in polyploidy formation in vivo. Thus, our results suggest that microtubules play a critical role in tetraploidization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Osychenko
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexandr Zalessky
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Artyom Astafiev
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksander Shakhov
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Kostrov
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr Krivokharchenko
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Viktor Nadtochenko
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina str. 4, 119991, Moscow, Russia
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Osychenko AA, Zalessky AD, Kostrov AN, Ryabova AV, Krivokharchenko AS, Nadtochenko VA. Femtosecond laser surgery of two-cell mouse embryos: effect on viability, development, and tetraploidization. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2017; 22:1-9. [PMID: 29264894 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.22.12.125006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The effect of the laser pulse energy and total expose of the energy incident on the embryo blastomere fusion probability was investigated. The probability of the four different events after laser pulse was determined: the fusion of two blastomeres with the following formation of tetraploid embryo, the destruction of the first blastomere occurs, the second blastomere conservation remains intact, the destruction and the death of both cells; two blastomeres were not fused, and no morphological changes occurred. We report on viability and quality of the embryo after laser surgery as a function of the laser energy incident. To characterize embryo quality, the probability of the blastocyst stage achievement was estimated and the blastocyst cells number was calculated. Blastocoel formation is the only event of morphogenesis in the preimplantation development of mammals, so we assumed it as an indicator of the time of embryonic "clocks" and observed it among fused and control embryos. The blastocoel formation time is the same for fused and control embryos. It indicates that embryo clocks were not affected due to blastomere fusion. Thus, the analysis of the fluorescence microscopic images of nuclei in the fused embryo revealed that nuclei fusion does not occur after blastomere fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina A Osychenko
- Russian Academy of Sciences, N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandr D Zalessky
- Russian Academy of Sciences, N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Department of Molecular and Biologica, Russia
| | - Andrey N Kostrov
- Russian Academy of Sciences, N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Ryabova
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute Russian Academy of Sciences, Natural Sciences Center, Laser Bios, Russia
- National Research Nuclear University Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Institute of Engineering, Russia
| | | | - Viktor A Nadtochenko
- Russian Academy of Sciences, N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics Russian Academy of Sciences, Department of Structure of Ma, Russia
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
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Huang HY, Shen HH, Tien CH, Li CJ, Fan SK, Liu CH, Hsu WS, Yao DJ. Digital Microfluidic Dynamic Culture of Mammalian Embryos on an Electrowetting on Dielectric (EWOD) Chip. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124196. [PMID: 25933003 PMCID: PMC4416819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Current human fertilization in vitro (IVF) bypasses the female oviduct and manually inseminates, fertilizes and cultivates embryos in a static microdrop containing appropriate chemical compounds. A microfluidic microchannel system for IVF is considered to provide an improved in-vivo-mimicking environment to enhance the development in a culture system for an embryo before implantation. We demonstrate a novel digitalized microfluidic device powered with electrowetting on a dielectric (EWOD) to culture an embryo in vitro in a single droplet in a microfluidic environment to mimic the environment in vivo for development of the embryo and to culture the embryos with good development and live births. Our results show that the dynamic culture powered with EWOD can manipulate a single droplet containing one mouse embryo and culture to the blastocyst stage. The rate of embryo cleavage to a hatching blastocyst with a dynamic culture is significantly greater than that with a traditional static culture (p<0.05). The EWOD chip enhances the culture of mouse embryos in a dynamic environment. To test the reproductive outcome of the embryos collected from an EWOD chip as a culture system, we transferred embryos to pseudo-pregnant female mice and produced live births. These results demonstrate that an EWOD-based microfluidic device is capable of culturing mammalian embryos in a microfluidic biological manner, presaging future clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yuan Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung University and College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Hua Shen
- Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystem, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Hung Tien
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Jung Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kang Fan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Liu
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Syang Hsu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Da-Jeng Yao
- Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystem, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Developmental ability after parthenogenetic activation of in vitro matured oocytes collected postmortem from deers. Small Rumin Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2013.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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7
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Krivokharchenko A, Karmenyan A, Sarkisov O, Bader M, Chiou A, Shakhbazyan A. Laser fusion of mouse embryonic cells and intra-embryonic fusion of blastomeres without affecting the embryo integrity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50029. [PMID: 23227157 PMCID: PMC3515590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulation with early mammalian embryos is the one of the most important approach to study preimplantation development. Artificial cell fusion is a research tool for various biotechnological experiments. However, the existing methods have various disadvantages, first of them impossibility to fuse selected cells within multicellular structures like mammalian preimplantation embryos. In our experiments we have successfully used high repetition rate picosecond near infrared laser beam for fusion of pairs of oocytes and oocytes with blastomeres. Fused cells looked morphologically normal and keep their ability for further divisions in vitro. We also fused two or three blastomeres inside four-cell mouse embryos. The presence of one, two or three nuclei in different blastomeres of the same early preimplantation mouse embryo was confirmed under UV-light after staining of DNA with the vital dye Hoechst-33342. The most of established embryos demonstrated high viability and developed in vitro to the blastocyst stage. We demonstrated for the first time the use of laser beam for the fusion of various embryonic cells of different size and of two or three blastomeres inside of four-cell mouse embryos without affecting the embryo’s integrity and viability. These embryos with blastomeres of various ploidy maybe unique model for numerous purposes. Thus, we propose laser optical manipulation as a new tool for investigation of fundamental mechanisms of mammalian development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artashes Karmenyan
- Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
| | - Oleg Sarkisov
- N. N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Michael Bader
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Arthur Chiou
- Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Avetik Shakhbazyan
- N. N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
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Boga A, Binokay S, Emre M, Sertdemir Y. The embryonic development of Xenopus laevis under a low frequency electric field. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2012; 48:385-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s11626-012-9519-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 05/18/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Popova E, Bader M, Krivokharchenko A. Effect of culture conditions on viability of mouse and rat embryos developed in vitro. Genes (Basel) 2011; 2:332-44. [PMID: 24710194 PMCID: PMC3924814 DOI: 10.3390/genes2020332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2011] [Revised: 02/11/2011] [Accepted: 03/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently in vitro culture of mouse preimplantation embryos has become a very important technique to investigate different mechanisms of early embryogenesis. However, there is a big difference in the preimplantation development between mammalian species. Despite close relatedness to mice, in vitro cultivation of rat preimplantation embryos is still delicate and needs further investigation and optimizations. In this study we have compared the in vitro developmental potential of mouse and rat embryos cultured at different culture conditions in parallel experiments. Interestingly, mouse zygotes developed in vitro until blastocyst stage even in inadequate medium without any phosphates and with low osmolarity which was formulated especially for cultivation of rat embryos. Rat parthenotes and zygotes developed in M16 medium formulated for mouse embryos only till 2-cell stage and further development is blocked completely at this stage. Moreover, developmental ability of rat embryos in vitro was significantly lower in comparison with mouse even in special rat mR1ECM medium. Mouse and rat embryos at 2-cell stage obtained in vivo developed until blastocyst stages significantly more efficiently compared to zygotes. Culture of mouse zygotes in glass capillaries resulted in a significantly higher rate of morula and blastocyst development compared with dishes. The Well-of-the-Well system resulted in a significant improvement when compared with dishes for the culture of rat zygotes only until morula stage. Reduced oxygen tension increased the developmental rate of rat but not mouse zygotes until blastocyst stage. This study demonstrates that development of early preimplantation embryos is altered by different culture conditions and show strong differences even between two related species such as mice and rats. Therefore, for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of early mammalian development it is very important to use embryos of various species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Popova
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, D-13125, Berlin-Buch, Germany.
| | - Michael Bader
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, D-13125, Berlin-Buch, Germany.
| | - Alexander Krivokharchenko
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, D-13125, Berlin-Buch, Germany.
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