scholarly journals Practical Applications of Sperm Selection Techniques as a Tool for Improving Reproductive Efficiency

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Morrell ◽  
H. Rodriguez-Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Hyaluronic Acid ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sex Selection ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sperm Selection ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Hyaluronic Acid Binding

Modern biotechnologies are used extensively in the animal breeding industry today. Therefore, it is essential that sperm handling procedures do not modulate the normal physiological mechanisms occurring in the female reproductive tract. In this paper, the different selection mechanisms occurringin vivoare described briefly, together with their relevance to artificial insemination, followed by a detailed description of the different selection processes used in reproductive biotechnologies. These selection methods included fractionated semen collection, cryopreservation, biomimetic sperm selection, selection based on hyaluronic acid binding, and last, but not least, sperm sex selection. Biomimetic sperm selection for AI or for cryopreservation could improve pregnancy rates and help to reverse the decline in fertility seen in several domestic species over the recent decades. Similarly, selection for hyaluronic acid binding sites may enable the most mature spermatozoa to be selected for IVF or ICSI.

scholarly journals 3D in situ imaging of the female reproductive tract reveals molecular signatures of fertilizing spermatozoa in mice

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Ded ◽  
Jae Yeon Hwang ◽  
Kiyoshi Miki ◽  
Huanan F Shi ◽  
Jean-Ju Chung
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sperm Selection ◽  
Pharmacological Studies ◽  
Sperm Migration ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Insight Into

Out of millions of ejaculated sperm, a few reach the fertilization site in mammals. Flagellar Ca2+ signaling nanodomains, organized by multi-subunit CatSper calcium channel complexes, are pivotal for sperm migration in the female tract, implicating CatSper-dependent mechanisms in sperm selection. Here using biochemical and pharmacological studies, we demonstrate that CatSper1 is an O-linked glycosylated protein, undergoing capacitation-induced processing dependent on Ca2+ and phosphorylation cascades. CatSper1 processing correlates with protein tyrosine phosphorylation (pY) development in sperm cells capacitated in vitro and in vivo. Using 3D in situ molecular imaging and ANN-based automatic detection of sperm distributed along the cleared female tract, we demonstrate that spermatozoa past the utero-tubal junction possess the intact CatSper1 signals. Together, we reveal that fertilizing mouse spermatozoa in situ are characterized by intact CatSper channel, lack of pY, and reacted acrosomes. These findings provide molecular insight into sperm selection for successful fertilization in the female reproductive tract.

scholarly journals 3D in situ imaging of female reproductive tract reveals molecular signatures of fertilizing spermatozoa in mice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Ded ◽  
Jae Yeon Hwang ◽  
Kiyoshi Miki ◽  
Huanan F. Shi ◽  
Jean-Ju Chung
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sperm Selection ◽  
Pharmacological Studies ◽  
Sperm Migration ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractOut of millions of ejaculated sperm, only a few reach the fertilization site in mammals. Flagellar Ca2+ signaling nanodomains, organized by multi-subunit CatSper calcium channel complexes, are pivotal for sperm migration in the female tract, implicating CatSper-dependent mechanisms in sperm selection. Here, using biochemical and pharmacological studies, we demonstrate that CatSper1 is an O-linked glycosylated protein, undergoing capacitation-induced processing dependent on Ca2+ and phosphorylation cascades. CatSper1 processing correlates with protein tyrosine phosphorylation (pY) development in sperm cells capacitated in vitro and in vivo. Using 3D in situ molecular imaging and ANN-based automatic detection of sperm distributed along the cleared female tract, we demonstrate that all spermatozoa past the UTJ possess intact CatSper1 signals. Together, we reveal that fertilizing mouse spermatozoa in situ are characterized by intact CatSper channel, lack of pY, and reacted acrosomes. These findings provide molecular insight into sperm selection for successful fertilization in the female reproductive tract.

scholarly journals Sperm Selection for ICSI: Do We Have a Winner?

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 3566
Author(s):  
Domenico Baldini ◽  
Daniele Ferri ◽  
Giorgio Maria Baldini ◽  
Dario Lot ◽  
Assunta Catino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Cell Selection ◽  
Sperm Selection ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Selection Processes ◽  
Sperm Membrane ◽  
Selection For

In assisted reproductive technology (ART), the aim of sperm cells’ preparation is to select competent spermatozoa with the highest fertilization potential and in this context, the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) represents the most applied technique for fertilization. This makes the process of identifying the perfect spermatozoa extremely important. A number of methods have now been developed to mimic some of the natural selection processes that exist in the female reproductive tract. Although many studies have been conducted to identify the election technique, many doubts and disagreements still remain. In this review, we will discuss all the sperm cell selection techniques currently available for ICSI, starting from the most basic methodologies and continuing with those techniques suitable for sperm cells with reduced motility. Furthermore, different techniques that exploit some sperm membrane characteristics and the most advanced strategy for sperm selection based on microfluidics, will be examined. Finally, a new sperm selection method based on a micro swim-up directly on the ICSI dish will be analyzed. Eventually, advantages and disadvantages of each technique will be debated, trying to draw reasonable conclusions on their efficacy in order to establish the gold standard method.

scholarly journals Murine SPAM1 is secreted by the estrous uterus and oviduct in a form that can bind to sperm during capacitation: acquisition enhances hyaluronic acid-binding ability and cumulus dispersal efficiency

Reproduction ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve S Griffiths ◽  
Kimberly A Miller ◽  
Deni S Galileo ◽  
Patricia A Martin-DeLeon
Keyword(s):  
Hyaluronic Acid ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Immune Serum ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Binding Ability ◽  
Glycosyl Phosphatidylinositol ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Surface Remodeling ◽  
Hyaluronic Acid Binding

Sperm uptake of epididymal sperm adhesion molecule 1 (SPAM1)in vitrohas recently been shown to be a marker of sperm maturation, since acquisition of this surface hyaluronidase increases cumulus dispersal efficiency. Here, we demonstrate that this glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-linked sperm antigen, previously shown to be expressed during estrous in the female reproductive tract, is secreted in the uterine and oviductal fluids (ULF and OF respectively) in a 67 kDa form, which can bind to sperm. We show that it can be acquired by caudal sperm fromSpam1null,Spam1-deficient mutant, and wild-type (WT) micein vitroduring incubation in ULF or OF at 37 °C, as detected by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. SPAM1 binding after ULF incubation was localized predominantly to the acrosome and the mid-piece of the flagella ofSpam1null sperm in a pattern identical to that of WT sperm. After ULF incubation, WT sperm demonstrated a significantly (P<0.001) enhanced hyaluronic acid-binding ability, and the involvement of SPAM1 in this activity was shown by a significant (P<0.001) decrease in binding when sperm were exposed to SPAM1 antiserum-inhibited ULF. Importantly, whenSpam1null sperm were exposed to ULF with SPAM1 accessible (in the presence of pre-immune serum) or inaccessible (in the presence of SPAM1 antiserum) for uptake, there was a significant difference in cumulus dispersal efficiency. Taken together, these results suggest that in the sperm surface remodeling that occurs prior to and during capacitation, the fertilizing competence of sperm is increased via acquisition of SPAM1, and likely other hyaluronidases, from the female tract.

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