High speed enucleation of oocyte using magnetically actuated microrobot on a chip

Abstract

We have developed novel microfluidic chip for enucleation of oocytes by magnetically actuated microrobots. Si and Ni composite microrobot driven by permanent magnets was developed and used as high power, high speed and high accuracy microarm to transport, rotate and cut swine oocyte in a microfluidic chip. The novelties of developed microrobot are as follows. 1) The drive frequency capability of microrobot improved by 10 times comparing to previously developed microrobot. 2) Si-Ni composite microrobot has no risk of biocompatibility. 3) A force of order of millinewton can be outputted from permanent magnets. The microfluidic chip was specially designed by fluid analysis of FEM for stable supply of the oocytes to the MMT manipulation area from the inlet. The integration of this high speed microrobot and microfluidic chip enables high throughput enucleation process in a microfluidic chip.