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Are human spermatozoa separated on a Percoll density gradient safe for therapeutic use?
S J Pickering1, T P Fleming, P R Braude
1University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Fertility and Sterility
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Washing human sperm after Percoll separation removes most silica particles, preventing potential inflammation during assisted reproduction. Stringent washing protocols are crucial for safe sperm preparation in fertility treatments.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Cell biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Percoll gradients are used for separating motile human spermatozoa from semen.
- Contamination by Percoll particles, containing silica, is a concern for assisted reproductive technologies.
- Potential inflammatory responses to Percoll particles in vivo are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of washing procedures in removing Percoll particles from spermatozoa.
- To assess the inflammatory potential of Percoll particles following intrauterine insemination or gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT).
- To determine the safety of Percoll-based sperm separation for human fertility treatments.
Main Methods:
- Buoyant density centrifugation using Percoll gradients for sperm separation.
- Assessment of Percoll removal using scanning electron microscopy.
- Evaluation of inflammatory response via intraperitoneal injection of Percoll particles in mice.
Main Results:
- A double spin and wash technique effectively removed the majority of Percoll particles from spermatozoa.
- Intraperitoneal injection of Percoll particles in mice showed phagocytosis at the injection site.
- No generalized inflammatory response was detected in mice following Percoll particle administration.
Conclusions:
- Percoll-based sperm separation requires rigorous washing protocols to minimize particle contamination.
- While not entirely inert, Percoll particles did not elicit a significant systemic inflammatory response in the animal model.
- Optimized washing procedures are essential for the safe application of Percoll in sperm preparation for in vitro fertilization, GIFT, and intrauterine insemination.