An advanced sperm selection system for men experiencing sperm with low motility has been announced by scientists at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). The research, published in Med under the publisher Cell Press , indicates that in samples with only 1% live sperm, the average live-sperm percentage can be elevated to 76% after selection. The success rates of fertilization, cleavage, early embryos and blastocysts were also significantly elevated.
The research outlines the benefits of high-throughput, non-invasive sperm selection via their energy metabolites, selecting live sperm from immotile sperm samples with over 90% accuracy, and drastically improved fertilization outcomes for patients with total asthenozoospermia. The single-cell screening/selection system, called BLASTO-chip, is based on microfluidic droplet technology and transformable hydrogel material. The system can achieve automatic high-throughput, label-free selection of sperm, bringing hope to patients with asthenozoospermia, an infertility condition in which a man produces sperm with low motility.
Cell selection usually relies on using proteins or other molecules either on the cell surface or inside the cell as labels. However, the application of cell labels is limited in certain scenarios, making it impossible to identify specific cell types (e.g.
circulating tumor cells and stromal stem cells), and the added markers for the labels may interfere with cell activity. Led by Michael Yang, Yeung Kin Man Chair .