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Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research

Sperm quality after density gradient centrifugation with three commercially available media: a controlled trial

Authors: Helena Malvezzi, Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Agarwal, Adel M Abuzenadah, Muhammad Abu-Elmagd

Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

Density gradient is the preferred technique for sperm processing for ART. However, no study has examined sperm quality using different processing media simultaneously and under identical conditions. Therefore, we evaluated semen quality following sperm preparation by three commonly used commercially available density gradient media in a well-designed controlled trial.

Methods

We obtained semen samples from 20 healthy volunteers. Percent motility, total motile sperm (TMS), % recovery and DNA damage were assessed before and after separation in three different sperm density gradient media-PureCeption, ISolate and SpermGrad-125.

Results

Percent motility was higher in the ISolate (81.4% ± 6.6%) and SpermGrad-125 samples (85.7% ± 8.0%) (P < 0.0001) than in the PureCeption samples (62.5% ± 13.2%) (P = 0.07). TMS was higher in the PureCeption(TM) and ISolate samples (14.2% ± 15.9% and 15.8% ± 18.2%) than in those prepared with SpermGrad-125 (10.6% ± 19.7%) (P < 0.0001). Percent recovery was significantly higher in the PureCeption(TM) and ISolate samples (45.3% and 48.9%) than in the SpermGrad-125(TM) samples (30.8%) (P < 0.01). DNA fragmentation was comparable across the three gradients (PureCeption = 8.8% ± 4.7%; ISolate = 7.2 ± 5.2% and SpermGrad-125 = 11.2% ± 7.4%).

Conclusions

Three different density gradient processing media PureCeption, ISolate, and SpermGrad-125 were examined for their effects on sperm quality. Sperm processed by ISolate and Sperm Grad 125 had better motility and TMS after processing. The extent of DNA damage was comparable in all three gradients.
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Metadata
Title
Sperm quality after density gradient centrifugation with three commercially available media: a controlled trial
Authors
Helena Malvezzi
Rakesh Sharma
Ashok Agarwal
Adel M Abuzenadah
Muhammad Abu-Elmagd
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7827
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-12-121

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