Application of mechanical stimuli using a microfluidic air actuating system to cultured mammalian embryos

Mammalian embryos experience not only hormonal but also mechanical stimuli, such as shear stress, compression, and friction force, in the fallopian tube before nidation. We aim to develop a novel and simple system to apply mechanical stimuli (MS) similar to those generated inside the oviduct to cultured mammalian embryos. Possible MS include shear stress (SS) caused by fluid dynamics and compression of embryos due to interactions with the wall of the oviduct. A new culture system was developed to increase SS and to apply MS during in vitro embryo cultures. We developed an air actuating system with microfluidic channels to apply MS by deforming a 0.1-mm-thick poly(dimethylsiloxiane) membrane and evaluated MS applied to ICR mouse embryos inside the microfluidic channel. Using this air actuating system, we applied compression to mouse embryos inside the medium channel and estimated SS on the basis of the velocity of the embryos' motion. By changing the syringe velocity, we applied different types of MS to the embryos. These results suggested that multiple MS such as SS and compression can be applied at the same time. MS applied using this system was similar to those generated in the physiological environment of the oviduct.