Abstract
Vol.39 No.2
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Evaluation of the efficacy of a microfluidics device for sperm sorting
JMOR, 39(2) 105-110, 2022
Centrifugation-based sperm swim-up and density gradient separation (DGS) are the most commonly used sperm-sorting methods in IVF/ICSI cycles. However, these methods reduce sperm quality during the repetitive centrifugation steps, since sperm concentrated into solid pellets with incidental inflammatory cells show higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and DNA fragmentation. Sperm samples with a higher level of DNA fragmentation result in lower fertilization rates, impaired embryo development, and lower pregnancy rates. Microfluidic sperm sorting (MSS) can efficiently sort healthy, motile and morphologically normal sperm without centrifugation. Compared to the conventional swim-up method, a significantly higher percentage of the sorted sperm has fewer ROS and less DNA fragmentation. Fertilization and implantation potential, and support of embryonic development of spermatozoa processed by MSS (ZyMōt™) were compared with those of conventional density gradient centrifugation in couples with recurrent assisted reproductive technology (ART) failure. In the ZyMōt™ cycle, there were significant improvements in the numbers of good-quality embryos on day 3, and the good blastocyst, blastocyst utilization and clinical pregnancy rates. There was also a minor improvement in the miscarriage rate. These results suggest that sperm processing using ZyMōt™ may improve the results of ART.
