A medical innovation: a new and improved method of DNA extraction with electrowetting-on-dielectric of genetic testing in-vitro fertilization (IVF)

Abstract

The current technique for the detection of fetus genotype by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is quite expensive and is unsuitable/ inconvenient for all patients and even affects the embryonic growth cycle. We thus propose a new method to extract small amount of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) from embryo culture medium. We introduce a new format for DNA extraction depending on digital microfluidics (DMF), electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) and magnetic forces to separate, suspend DNA-coated magnetic particles. Nano-droplets (of nano-liter size) are electrostatically controlled on an array of insulated electrodes by EWOD system. By applying voltage to the various electrodes, multiple nano-droplets can be manipulated precisely in the same device. This feature enables one to extract DNA at ultra-small concentrations (fg/μL to pg/μL) from an embryo culture medium with an EWOD system. We applied our EWOD platform to extract a small amount of cf-DNA from a clinical embryo culture medium of mouse. In the future, we will distinguish the DNA in the real embryo buffer according to the length of the telomere. This feature would be valuable for the selection of an embryo before an implantation when the gene information can be recognized.

Combining sensors and actuators with electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD): advanced digital microfluidic systems for biomedical applications

“…Furthermore, fully automated “wash” steps of MPs on EWOD are feasible by repeatedly aggregating and resuspending the MPs with wash buffer. 43 Under a similar principle, the combination of EWOD and MP handling has enabled integrated and miniaturized biomedical assays such as cell manipulation, 44,45 immunoassays, 31,46–52 mass spectrometry, 53 nucleic acid extraction 54–57 and sequencing. 34,58,59 Meanwhile, efforts are also made to enhance the sample handling and detection abilities of EWOD platforms using MPs.…”

Electrically-driven handling of gametes and embryos: taking a step towards the future of ARTs

“…A higher percentage of cf.-DNA was extracted from the EWOD chip as compared with the conventional method (23% vs. 14.8%, respectively). 144 Another example is the EWOD chip with magnetic beads developed by Chiang et al 145 The DNA extraction protocol was previously adapted to the requirements of the microdevice. The performance of the microsystem was evaluated using two different dielectric layers, which was shown to affect the performance.…”

A Review on Microfluidics: An Aid to Assisted Reproductive Technology

“…The presence and extraction of cell-free DNA in an embryo culture medium is explained in [ 106 , 107 ]. In this work, a DMF EWOD magnetic bead (MB)-based DNA extraction was described; it demonstrated the extraction of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) from an embryo culture medium of a mouse at a small concentration [ 106 , 107 ]. Here, KSOM served as the embryo culture medium.…”