近年來使用微流場技術提升脊椎動物的精子活性，對於新藥的開發有相當大的助益，如生物醫學研究上所需要的大量特定種 (specific strains) 動物模型，特別在經濟魚種的保存及孵化上具有顯著的經濟效益。而其中斑馬魚具有體型小、生長速度快、光學透明性佳且與人類基因相似性高等優越特徵，已經成為生物醫學研究脊椎動物的重要參考對象。由於實驗的長時間進行，目前多以冷凍保存配子的方式大量育殖所需用之斑馬魚魚種，藉以取得具有統計學效益的斑馬魚活體實驗數據。本研究即是以斑馬魚為對象，目的在提升魚種精子的活性，藉由主動式磁性人工纖毛的擺動進行微尺度流場控制。一字形微流道平台內嵌有直列式的磁性人工纖毛，透過圖形化編譯平台進行調控，分別討論於不同人工纖毛轉動頻率下產生的多樣流場結構，並使用微粒子影像測速儀 (micro-particle image velocimetry) 進行流場分析。本研究利用主動式微流道裝置，可成功提高冷凍後的斑馬魚精子活性，並利用影像處理以及活性分析軟體，作為活化後精子能動性 (motility) 的評估分析軟體，通過開發的微流道裝置，以人工纖毛旋轉頻率為1 Hz，轉動時間5 s，可以有效提升斑馬魚精子活性至63 ％，未來尋求將此技術應用於具有高度經濟價值的魚種進行保種以及人工授精成功率的提升。

Zebrafish is considered as an invaluable animal model which has been extensively used to envisage the vertebrae development, genetic research etc. To preserve the genetical characteristics of these animal model for future use, sperm has been cryopreserved. The cryopreserved zebrafish sperms can be activated by rapidly diluting their extracellular medium in a hyperosmotic environment through manual mixing or structured stirring. This traditional methodology of sperm activation has a poor outcome. A magnetically controlled artificial cilia based microfluidic device was developed and used towards the activation of cryopreserved zebrafish sperms. The design and characteristics of the microfluidic device were optimized for a high throughput sperm activation. Through the developed microfluidic platform, the zebrafish sperm activation can reach up to 68 % with a statistical significance (p-value <0.05), with an optimized artificial cilia’s rotation frequency of 1 Hz for 5 seconds.

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