Publications by authors named "Rosenwaks Z"
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.
J Assist Reprod Genet
December 2024
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.
Nat Commun
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Assessing fertilized human embryos for in vitro fertilization is rapidly evolving through artificial intelligence, with a focus on improving prediction accuracy using time-lapse imaging.
- BELA, a new advanced model, predicts embryo ploidy status effectively without needing embryologists' input, utilizing multitask learning to enhance quality assessments.
- With a strong performance of 0.76 in distinguishing euploidy from aneuploidy embryos, BELA demonstrates potential for streamlining the embryo evaluation process, although it won't replace existing genetic testing methods.
J Assist Reprod Genet
April 2024
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 aimed to assess how well embryologists' rankings of embryos matched with those generated by eight AI algorithms using time-lapse videos and single embryo images from 100 patient cycles.
- Embryologists showed a good level of agreement among themselves (average Kendall's τ of 0.70), but there was lower agreement with AI algorithms (average K-τ of 0.53), highlighting varying reliability among the AI methods.
- While embryologists were more consistent in identifying the top embryos, achieving 59.5% agreement on the best-quality embryo, the most successful AI algorithms only reached 40.3%, with two of the algorithms showing particularly poor performance.
Int J Gynaecol Obstet
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- Fertility preservation is increasingly important in reproductive medicine, particularly when patients require treatments like chemotherapy or surgery that may affect fertility.
- Discussions about fertility preservation should be held with patients, including those with benign or malignant conditions and those managing transgender identity.
- Cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes, and gonadal tissue can offer long-term fertility options, highlighting the need for a specialized, multidisciplinary approach in patient care.
Article Synopsis
- Advances in AI and deep learning are transforming embryo quality assessment in IVF, focusing on optimizing time-lapse imaging for better predictions.
- The new model, BELA (Blastocyst Evaluation Learning Algorithm), outperforms previous methods by utilizing multitask learning to assess embryo quality without reliance on embryologists' subjective input.
- BELA achieves a 0.76 AUC for identifying euploidy vs. aneuploidy, streamlining the evaluation process and reducing the workload for embryologists, although it does not replace genetic testing for aneuploidy.
Fertil Steril
November 2023
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.
Fertil Steril
October 2023
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.
Article Synopsis
- Theca cells play crucial roles in ovarian follicle growth and maturation, providing necessary structural, metabolic, and steroid-producing support.
- Researchers conducted single cell multi-omics analysis to understand the origins and differentiation of various theca cell subtypes in human antral stage follicles.
- They identified three specific types of theca cells—structural, androgenic, and perifollicular—along with a progenitor cell, contributing to a better understanding of ovarian development and potential implications for diagnosing or treating ovarian disorders.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzes fertility preservation services utilized by cancer patients at a single institution from 2011 to 2016, focusing on a cohort of 208 referrals.
- The majority of patients, particularly those under 35, opted for oocyte cryopreservation, with a median time of 17 days from referral to intervention.
- The findings emphasize the importance of timely referrals and counseling for all cancer patients regarding their fertility preservation options to safeguard their reproductive choices.
Lancet Digit Health
January 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study addresses challenges in selecting viable embryos for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) by comparing existing assessment methods, highlighting their limitations.
- Researchers developed an AI-based system called STORK-A, which non-invasively predicts embryo ploidy status using a comprehensive dataset of over 10,000 embryos, including images and clinical information.
- Initial findings show STORK-A achieved 69.3% accuracy in distinguishing aneuploid from euploid embryos, suggesting promising potential for more effective embryo evaluation in IVF.
Article Synopsis
- The development of oocytes involves a complex interplay between various ovarian cell types and regulatory signals from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
- Current research primarily focuses on later-stage ovarian cells due to the difficulty in accessing smaller antral follicles, which are less studied because of limited human tissue availability.
- The article presents protocols for isolating different cell types from antral follicles, allowing for detailed analysis of early follicle development and the cultivation of these cells to better understand ovarian function.
Int J Mol Sci
December 2022
Article Synopsis
- The ovarian reserve is limited and decreases from mid-gestation to menopause, affected by various factors, including genetics and environmental influences.
- Many cases of reduced ovarian reserve lead to infertility that may not be resolved by assisted reproductive technologies, highlighting the need for understanding the underlying mechanisms.
- The review emphasizes prevention strategies: primary prevention to reduce harmful exposures, selective screening for genetic risks, and tertiary prevention to manage conditions post-diagnosis for better health outcomes.
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.
Fertil Steril
February 2023
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.
