Iodixanol as a density gradient medium for the isolation of motile spermatozoa.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to establish concentrations of Iodixanol which could be used in a similar manner to the widely used Mini-Percoll technique for the separation of motile spermatozoa.


METHODS
Various density gradient combinations of Iodixanol were compared for the isolation of motile spermatozoa from cryopreserved donor semen. The toxicity of Iodixanol was tested by its effect on the growth of two-cell mouse embryos and fresh sperm survival.


RESULTS
The best sperm recovery (32%) came from the pellet of sperm passing through a discontinuous gradient of 25% over 40% OptiPrep after 20 min of centrifugation at 400 g. There was no evidence of toxicity to mouse embryo growth or sperm survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Iodixanol (OptiPrep; Nycomed) provides a satisfactory alternative for the efficient separation of motile spermatozoa for ART procedures.
Harrison
K
K
Queensland Fertility Group, Brisbane, Australia.
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient / Q000379:methods*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids / Q000633:toxicity
D014283:Triiodobenzoic Acids; C044834:iodixanol