Effects of magnetic-activated cell sorting on sperm motility and cryosurvival rates.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of magnetic-activated cell sorting in cryopreservation-thawing protocols on sperm motility and cryosurvival rate.

Design: Prospective-controlled study.

Setting: Andrology department at a university-based medical institution.

Patient(s): Ten healthy volunteer sperm donors.

Intervention(s): Sperm populations were separated using annexin-V magnetic-activated cell sorting before and after the cryopreservation-thawing process.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Sperm motility and cryosurvival rate.

Result(s): Annexin-negative sperm separated by magnetic-activated cell sorting had statistically significantly higher motility following cryopreservation-thawing than sperm that were not separated. Similarly, annexin-negative spermatozoa also had higher cryosurvival rate than sperm cryopreserved without magnetic-activated cell sorting and sperm that were annexin-positive.

Conclusion(s): Superparamagnetic annexin V-conjugated microbeads can separate spermatozoa with externalized phosphatidylserine, which is considered one of the early features of late apoptosis. The separation of a distinctive population of nonapoptotic spermatozoa with intact membranes may optimize the cryopreservation-thawing outcome. Magnetic-activated cell sorting using annexin-V microbeads enhances sperm motility and cryosurvival rates following cryopreservation.