Publications by authors named "Philip Xie"
Article Synopsis
- Developed a non-contact method using acousto-hydrodynamic tweezers (AHT) for denuding cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), showing higher efficiency compared to traditional manual methods.
- Tested on mice, the method demonstrated no damage to oocytes and reduced denudation time by 46% while maintaining embryo development rates.
- Findings suggest that using acoustic waves can significantly improve the denudation process for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), potentially enhancing fertility treatment procedures.
Article Synopsis
- The manuscript discusses the Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) procedure and highlights insights gained from 30 years of experience in treating male factor infertility at a specialized center.
- It emphasizes the collaborative efforts of the embryology, andrology, and PGT-A laboratories, which work together with reproductive physicians and urologists to provide comprehensive patient care.
- The focus is on the andrology lab's crucial role in preparing for ICSI, detailing essential considerations like sperm selection, oocyte conditions, necessary equipment, and the procedure's execution.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify genetic mutations linked to azoospermia and assess the potential of using transcriptomic profiling of ejaculates to predict testicular function in nonobstructive azoospermic men.
- Sperm samples were collected from 30 men, split between those with obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia, analyzed for genetic mutations, and evaluated alongside clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction techniques.
- Results indicated distinct genetic mutations associated with fertility outcomes; specific mutations correlated with reproductive success in both obstructive and nonobstructive cases, suggesting the potential for personalized approaches in male infertility treatment.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the timing of microscopic testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in relation to oocyte retrieval and its impact on outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- Results showed that sperm retrieval and fertilization rates were lower when TESE was done the day before oocyte retrieval compared to doing it on the same day, but overall embryological and clinical outcomes were similar between both groups.
- The findings suggest that performing micro-TESE before oocyte retrieval allows for better decision-making regarding the procedure without significantly affecting the overall success rates.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines how sperm speed affects fertilization rates by recreating conditions akin to the female reproductive tract using a microfluidic platform.
- Selected bovine and human sperm were tested at different flow rates to analyze their development into embryos.
- Results show that while higher flow rates select for faster, better-quality sperm, they yield fewer overall sperm; however, this trade-off leads to improved embryonic development, with a notable increase in blastocyst formation.
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed the prevalence of sperm suitable for ICSI in men with azoospermia scheduled for mTESE, finding that 9.5% were able to avoid surgery due to sperm presence in fresh ejaculated samples.
- The research indicated that men providing a semen sample with less than 24 hours of abstinence had improved sperm motility compared to their initial sample.
- Outcomes showed a 36% live birth rate for ICSI attempts using these rare, ejaculated sperm, highlighting a potential benefit for sperm retrieval strategies in men with low sperm counts.
Article Synopsis
- The human sperm centrosome is essential for fertilization and early embryonic development, as it organizes microtubules and helps in chromosome segregation.
- Abnormalities in the sperm centrosome can lead to issues like chromosomal instability and pregnancy loss.
- Recent studies focus on the centrosome's molecular structure and function, aiming to improve our understanding of fertility and developmental disorders related to centrosomal defects.
Article Synopsis
- Oocyte-mediated somatic cell haploidization is a process where a diploid cell reduces its chromosome number using a patient's somatic nucleus to create patient-specific oocytes.
- The method showed a survival rate of 56.5% for reconstructed murine oocytes, with a haploidization and fertilization rate of 31.2%, resulting in a blastocyst formation rate of 12.7%.
- Whole genome sequencing revealed that 27.3% of the embryos were properly diploid, indicating that this technique has potential for developing functional gametes in mammals.
Article Synopsis
- The objective of the study was to treat couples experiencing total fertilization failure (TFF) by enhancing oocyte responses through chemical activation using calcium ionophore.
- Two couples with a history of TFF after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were treated with extended oocyte maturation (EOM) and assisted gamete treatment (AGT) to address deficiencies in oocyte activation.
- The results showed that both couples saw improved fertilization rates after EOM and AGT, leading to successful pregnancies, highlighting the effectiveness of these combined interventions.
Article Synopsis
- Assisted reproduction has sparked interest in sex selection of embryos, raising various ethical issues and concerns about existing techniques that aim to achieve this.
- A novel sperm sex selection technique (SST) was tested through a study involving 1,317 couples, comparing traditional sperm processing to a method that enriches sperm for desired sex.
- The study measured outcomes such as spermatozoa and embryo sex ratios, embryo health, and clinical results, ultimately showing positive efficacy and safety for the novel SST approach.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to develop male gametes using a novel 3D culture system that mimics the environment of seminiferous tubules in mice.
- Comparing the results to traditional 2D cultures, the 3D spheres showed significantly higher expression of markers VASA and DAZL on days 3 and 10, indicating improved differentiation into male germ-like cells.
- The findings suggest that the 3D culture system enhances the production of male gametes, which could have implications for reproductive biology and potential applications in assisted reproductive technologies.
Purpose: Developing optimized techniques for the isolation of human spermatozoa possessing low levels of DNA damage is an important objective for the ART industry. The purpose of this study was to compare a novel electrophoretic system (Felix™) of sperm isolation with a conventional method involving density gradient centrifugation (DGC).
Methods: Five international ART Centres in Australia, India, Sweden, the USA, and China have collaborated in order to compare the quality of the sperm populations isolated by Felix™ and DGC in terms of processing time, sperm concentration, motility, vitality, and DNA integrity as assessed by 3 methods: SCSA, Halo, and TUNEL.
Article Synopsis
- Sperm with high motility shows better genomic integrity, and sperm chromatin fragmentation (SCF) negatively impacts embryo development and implantation.
- A study aimed to investigate the connection between high SCF and increased embryo aneuploidy while exploring available treatment methods.
- Results revealed that couples using density gradient sperm selection (DG) had high rates of embryo aneuploidy (74.7%) and poor pregnancy outcomes, but transitioning to microfluidic sperm selection (MFSS) significantly reduced SCF and improved reproductive results.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify germline mutations linked to sperm function in couples facing unexplained infertility.
- Couples were categorized into fertile and infertile groups based on their success with intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and sperm analysis along with DNA sequencing was performed.
- Findings showed that fertile couples had lower sperm aneuploidy rates, while specific mutations were found in both groups, with some infertility cases attributed to sperm-related issues leading to successfully tailored treatments for those couples.
Objective: To assess the role of evaluating sperm chromatin fragmentation (SCF) as a tool to guide treatment in couples who achieved unexpectedly poor clinical outcomes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Design: We identified couples with an unexpectedly suboptimal clinical outcome after ICSI who were then screened for SCF. Consequently, the same couples were counseled to undergo a subsequent ICSI cycle using either ejaculates processed by microfluidic sperm selection (MFSS) or spermatozoa retrieved from the testis, and clinical outcomes were compared between history and treatment cycles.
Haploidy is naturally observed in gametes; however, attempts of experimentally inducing haploidy in somatic cells have not been successful. Here, we demonstrate that the replacement of meiotic spindles in mature metaphases II (MII) arrested oocytes with nuclei of somatic cells in the G0/G1 stage of cell cycle results in the formation of de novo spindles consisting of somatic homologous chromosomes comprising of single chromatids. Fertilization of such oocytes with sperm triggers the extrusion of one set of homologous chromosomes into the pseudo-polar body (PPB), resulting in a zygote with haploid somatic and sperm pronuclei (PN).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCumulus removal (CR) is a central prerequisite step for many protocols involved in the assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). The most prevalent CR technique is based upon laborious manual pipetting, which suffers from inter-operator variability and therefore a lack of standardization. Automating CR procedures would alleviate many of these challenges, improving the odds of a successful ART or PGT outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this article is to gather 9 thought leaders and their team members to present their ideas about the future of in vitro fertilization and the andrology laboratory. Although we have seen much progress and innovation in the laboratory over the years, there is still much to come, and this article looks at what these leaders think will be important in the future development of technology and processes in the laboratory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe in vitro fertilization and andrology laboratories are at the center of assisted reproductive technologies and the place where technicians and embryologists manipulate gametes and preimplantation-stage embryos with the goal of achieving the best embryo for transfer. Through the years, these laboratories have seen developments in technique, technology, and testing. The goal of this Views and Interviews series is to bring together the thought leaders in the field and envision what the laboratories will look like in the next 10 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To characterize, by specific biomarkers and nucleic acid sequencing, the structural and genomic sperm characteristics of partial (PG) and complete globozoospermic (CG) men in order to identify the best reproductive treatment.
Methods: We assessed spermatozoa from 14 consenting men ultrastructurally, as well as for histone content, sperm chromatin integrity, and sperm aneuploidy. Additional genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic evaluations were carried out to further characterize the CG cohort.
Purpose: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the most widely utilized assisted reproductive technique (ART) worldwide. In this feature, we review the early assisted fertilization attempts that eventually led to the development of ICSI, and discuss its current utilization in cases of male and non-male factor infertility.
Methods: We researched the literature related to the development, indications, and current use of ICSI, such as sperm structural abnormalities, male genetic indications, surgically retrieved sperm, high sperm chromatin fragmentation, oocyte dysmorphism, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).
Objective: To identify and treat the gamete responsible for complete fertilization failure with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using a newly proposed assisted gamete treatment (AGT).
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Center for reproductive medicine.