Embryo on LabChip
|
A genuine increase in infertility has been observed due to various
factors including stress, environmental pollution, increasing age, smoking,
consumption of alcohol, sexually transmitted dis-eases, etc. In vitro
fertilization (IVF), a state-of-the-art technology, increases the rate of
pregnancy, offering hope to those with fertility issues. During IVF,
fertilized eggs in the blastocyst stage are transferred to the woman’s
uterus for implantation and further development. Since the invention of IVF,
research advancementshave been made in areas such as chemically and
physically improving the culture environment of the pre-implantation embryos
and developing specialized culture surfaces. We develop 3D biomimetic microsystems integrating various functions
of the fallopian tube to serve as an in vitro platform for fertilization and
embryonic development. These devices mimic the in vivo embryo-endometrial
stromal cell monolayer coculture to enhance the group culture of embryos and
mechanically culture the embryos in a dynamic manner to enhance their
development.
|
|
Selected Publication |
|
[1] Kuo-Wei Chang, Pei-Yu Chang, Hong-Yuan
Huang, Chin-Jung Li, Chang-Hung Tien,
Da-Jeng Yao, Shih-Kang Fan, Wensyang Hsu and Cheng-Hsien Liu,
“Womb-on-a-Chip Biomimetic System for Improved Embryo Culture and
Development,” Sensors &
Actuators: B. Chemical. Volume 226, Pages 218–226, April
2016. |