Freezing-Free Preservation of Human Spermatozoa – A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study tested a method for maintaining human spermatozoa without freezing for subsequent use in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). We demonstrated that human sperm stored in electrolyte-free solution maintain their motility and viability for at least 4 and 6 weeks, respectively. We also have shown that preserved spermatozoa are fully functional in ICSI. Sperm chromosome analysis after injection of human sperm into mouse oocytes revealed that two weeks of storage does not negatively affect sperm DNA integrity. A mouse model was used to analyze the ability of preserved sperm to participate in normal embryogenesis. Mouse sperm preserved in electrolyte-free solution in a similar manner as human sperm maintained motility for up to 3 weeks. When mouse spermatozoa stored for 1 week were injected into the oocytes by ICSI, they yielded normal blastoctysts and normal viable fetuses. The results of the study bear significance for human assisted reproduction technologies (ART) and provide clinicians and infertile patients with a new method that can simplify sperm preparation for ICSI, assisting men who are unable to provide semen on the day of assisted fertilization.

KEYWORDS:

• ICSI
• sperm chromosomes
• sperm motility
• sperm preservation

Notes

Abbreviations: ICSI: intracytoplasmic sperm injection; IVF: in vitro fertilization; ART: assisted reproduction technologies; HTF: human tubal fluid.