Sperm Wash Techniques in ART: Functional investigations of spermatozoa

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Sperm Wash Techniques in ART: Functional investigations of spermatozoa Sperm wash techniques for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are based on separation of sperm from the seminal fluid (washing), accompanied by a selection of a sub-population considered to be the most fertile, because it consists of mostly mobile and morphologically normal gametes. The two most widespread techniques are represented by upward migration on one hand, centrifugation on discontinuous Percoll gradient on the other hand. The latter is particularly recommended when the mobility of the sperm is poor. Various pharmacological agents, such as pentoxifylline, have been proposed to improve the mobility and fertilizing power of male gametes, but the results are inconsistent and vary from one specimen to another.

Sperm Wash TechniquesNumerous fertilization power investigation tests are currently available, which allow to choose the ART technique offering the most chances of success: thus, when the parameters of the movement are very disturbed, or if a test of attachment to the pellucid zone proves negative, we will propose an intracytoplasmic sperm injection technique (ICSI), rather than a classical in vitro fertilization.

Sperm Preparation Techniques: Types of Sperm wash techniquesTechniques of semen preparation related to assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are based on a separation of spermatozoa from seminal fluid followed by selection of a subpopulation of highly fertile sperm, mostly composed of motile and morphologically normal cells. The two most classical techniques are represented by swim up migration, and centrifugation on a discontinuous Percoll gradient. This last technique is the most convenient if sperm motility is poor. Different pharmacological drugs, as pentoxifylline, have been proposed in order to improve motility and fertilizing capacity of male gametes, but the results are inconstant and may vary from one sample to the other. Numerous tests are now available which investigate sperm fertilizing ability and allow the best choice of ART. Therefore, if sperm movement characteristics are


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Sperm Wash Techniques in ART: Functional investigations of spermatozoa by Hitesh Joshi - Issuu