Methods for Sperm Selection for In Vitro Fertilization

ORTEGA, NICOLÁS MATÍAS; BOSCH, PABLO

In Vitro Fertilization - Innovative Clinical and Laboratory Aspects

InTech

Año: 2012; p. 71 - 86

The outcome of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) depends mostly on the quality of input material (oocytes and sperm) used in these procedures. The number of transferable embryos produced in these programs depends on both provision of high quality mature oocytes and adequate numbers of good quality spermatozoa capable of supporting embryo development to term. Semen samples are cellular mixtures composed of: precursor germ cells, subpopulations of viable and nonviable spermatozoa, variable amounts of debris, and multiple leukocyte subtypes, all suspended in seminal plasma (SP). Based on these characteristics and the heterogeneity of the sperm population within the ejaculate, several separation techniques such as swim-up and density gradients (e.g. Percoll®) have been developed. These techniques not only allow for selection of sperm with enhanced motility but may also be used to remove the extender and dead cells (up 50% of total) present in frozen-thawed sperm samples. In addition, selection of normal spermatozoa is of upmost importance in cases of male infertility caused by semen deficiencies characterized by teratospermia, asthenozoospermia and/or oligospermia.