Sperm sorting chip and method for sorting sperm using the same

1. A sperm sorting chip comprising:

a flow channel structure sequentially configured with a diverging flow field region, a main flow channel, and a converging main flow channel intercommunicated with each other from a first side end to a second side end, wherein the first side end is opposite to the second side end;

a fluid injection port, a semen injection port, and a semen extraction port separately located at the first side end and communicated with a main input channel of the diverging flow field region; and

a waste fluid outlet located at the second side end and communicated with the converging main flow channel,

wherein the diverging flow field region further includes a plurality of sub-input channels derived from the main input channel and converged to the main flow channel, and the plurality of sub-input channels have a diverging channel, which has a sector area at the intersection with the main flow channel, and

wherein the converging main flow channel has a converging channel width toward the waste fluid outlet;

wherein the fluid injection port is located above, in a direction of gravity with respect to the diverging flow field region, the main flow channel, the converging main flow channel or a combination thereof.

2. The sperm sorting chip according to claim 1 , wherein the diverging flow field region is configured to form a tree branch from an end of the main input channel away from the first side end as a starting node toward the second side end, and

wherein the plurality of sub-input channels are configured to form the tree branch based on the starting node or have one or more tree branch sub-channels of different tiers from the starting node.

3. The sperm sorting chip according to claim 1 , wherein a sum of the largest widths of each of the plurality of sub-input channels is smaller than or equal to a width of the main flow channel.

4. The sperm sorting chip according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fluid injection port, the semen injection port, and the semen extraction port are selectively opened or closed.

5. A method for sorting sperm using the sperm sorting chip according to claim 1 , comprising:

a step (a): injecting a fluid through the fluid injection port, and keeping the fluid entering the flow channel structure continuously to establish a preset flow field;

a step (b): injecting a predetermined amount of semen to the main input channel through the semen injection port;

a step (c): waiting a predetermined amount of time for the semen to be screened by the preset flow field; and

a step (d): applying an extraction external force through the semen extraction port to extract the screened semen;

wherein the semen extraction port is at an opposite side to a place where waste fluid flows out of the sperm sorting chip;

wherein relatively inactive sperms in the semen is transported to the waste fluid outlet by the preset flow field, and the screened semen includes relatively active sperms in the semen;

wherein the preset flow field is generated based on gravity by injecting the fluid from a place higher than the sperm sorting chip.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the screened semen includes sperms whose swimming speed reach a balance with a flow velocity of the preset flow field in a predetermined range from the first side end of the flow channel structure.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined range at least includes end portions of the plurality of sub-input channels communicated with the main flow channel.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the fluid is mHTF or sperm culture media.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein after the step (d) is completed, the method further includes repeating the step (b) to the step (d) one or more times.

10. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

closing the semen extraction port in the step (b), and closing the semen injection port in the step (d).

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

closing the semen injection port and the fluid injection port at the same time in the step (d).