Wednesday,
June 14, 2006
Italians, In Fertility Breakthrough, Learn
to Select "Super Sperm"
The
ANNOTICO Report
Experts
in andrology from two Italian universities - Padua
and Rome's La Sapienza has developed a sophisticated
strategy for selecting 'super sperm' for use in assisted fertility treatment .
The
method involves firstly looking closely at each sperm cell and discarding those
with pointed heads, double heads, overly round heads, small heads or bent
necks. Then the remainder are analysed for their
energy levels .
Thereafter the
spermatozoa are selected that carry their DNA in the most complete and regular form .
This is only possible by combining powerful microscopes obtaining
images magnified up to 6,000 times, coupled with computer
analysis.
ITALIANS
LEARN TO SPOT "SUPERSPERM"
Method
excludes those with pointed heads and little energy
ANSA
June 12 , 2006
A team of Italian scientists has developed a
sophisticated strategy for weeding out inferior spermatozoa and selecting
'super sperm' for use in assisted fertility treatment .
The method
involves firstly looking closely at each sperm cell and discarding those with
pointed heads, double heads, overly round heads, small heads or bent necks.
Then the remainder are analysed for their energy levels .
This two-stage
sifting process aims to increase the likelihood of success in so-called microfertilisation, in which a single spermatozoon is
inserted into the egg, or ovocyte .
Experts in andrology from two Italian universities -
"Being
able to select spermatozoa one by one opens up the possibility of freezing them
singly," said Carlo Foresta, of the
The first
stage, based on examining the shape of sperm cells, is possible thanks to a
technique developed in
Using this
method experts manage to obtain images magnified up to 6,000 times
.
The second
stage, or energy assessment, makes use of a large computer console at
"Until
now we just distinguished the mobile ones from the immobile ones. But now we
can establish how long they're going to carry on moving," said
The system
focuses on the health of the mitochondria, or 'energy cells' that the
spermatozoa contain. "This is a good indicator because the spermatozoa
need energy, not just to move but also to penetrate the ovocyte
and release their DNA," Lenzi said
.
The equipment
separates out the spermatozoa with the heal! thiest mitochondria and then
examines these to see which are carrying their DNA in the most complete and
regular form .
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