In the ICSI procedure, a single sperm is selected and injected into an oocyte. Until now, the only technique available to embryologists for sperm selection was visual observation. Using PICSI procedure we are able to determine sperm selection in a similar way as it happens in human biology. Sperms are placed in PICSI dish containing samples of hyaluronan hydrogel. Hyaluronan is a naturally occurring biopolymer which is found in all human cells including the gel layer surrounding the oocyte. Mature and biochemically competent sperm binds to the hyaluronan where they can be isolated by the embryologist and used for ICSI. This procedure mimics a key step in the natural fertilization process where a mature healthy sperm binds to the oocyte complex. As a result, the selected sperm by PICSI is essentially the same as one that would have been successful in the natural reproductive process.
The research proved that hyaluronan-bound PICSI-selected sperm are in majority of cases, more mature, exhibit less DNA damage, and have fewer chromosomal aneuploidies. All our units have this technology available in our labs.