title: Comparison of two colloidal silica-based sperm separation media with a non-silica-based medium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study and compare the effects of three sperm separation media, two silica-based (Percoll; Pharmacia Biotech AB, Uppsala, Sweden, and Isolate; Irvine Scientific, Santa Ana, CA) and one non-silica-based (Ixaprep; Medicult, Copenhagen, Denmark), on the recovery of progressive motile sperm, the percentage of sperm with normal morphology, various sperm motion characteristics determined by computer-aided sperm analysis, and the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university-based assisted reproductive technology center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male partners of couples attending our infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Various semen parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both Isolate and Ixaprep resulted in enhanced recovery of motile spermatozoa compared with Percoll. The percentage of sperm with forward progressive motility, the percentage of sperm with normal morphology, and various sperm motion characteristics were similar after the use of Percoll and Isolate and were significantly better than after the use of Ixaprep. The same percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa was observed with all three media. Similar results were observed in both normal and subnormal semen samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of Isolate and Ixaprep resulted in better recovery of motile spermatozoa. Other semen parameters were similar with the use of Isolate and Percoll, whereas the use of Ixaprep was associated with lower sperm velocities and fewer morphologically normal spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Makkar
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002751:Chlortetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003102:Colloids; D003201:Computers; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011205:Povidone; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D003470:Culture Media; D007476:Ionophores; D000001:Calcimycin; C016039:Percoll; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone; D002751:Chlortetracycline