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

Rome,

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 - Padua and Rome's La Sapienza - presented their system during a biotechnology conference in Rome on Monday .

"Being able to select spermatozoa one by one opens up the possibility of freezing them singly," said Carlo Foresta, of the University of Padua, noting that this helped simplify the microfertilisatio! n procedure .

The first stage, based on examining the shape of sperm cells, is possible thanks to a technique developed in Padua which combines powerful microscopes and computer analysis .

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 Rome's La Sapienza which enables scientists to identify those spermatozoa which will keep moving the longest .

"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 Rome researcher Andrea Lenzi .

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 .

http://ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/

english/news/2006-06-13_1133917.html

 

 

The ANNOTICO Reports are Archived at:

Italia USA: http://www.ItaliaUSA.com (Formerly Italy at St Louis)

Annotico Email: annotico@earthlink.net