The spindle observation and its relationship with fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection in living human oocytes.
OBJECTIVE
To image spindles in living human oocytes and to examine the relation between spindles and fertilization after ICSI.


METHODS
The LC polscope was used to examine spindles in an observational study of living oocytes.


METHODS
Academic IVF clinic.


METHODS
Women being treated for infertility.


METHODS
Oocytes retrieved from patients for infertility treatment were examined before ICSI. Aged, unfertilized oocytes after IVF or ICSI were examined with polscope and confocal microscopes to compare the two methods.


METHODS
Spindle structure in living oocytes and fertilization after ICSI.


RESULTS
Spindles could be imaged in 61.4% of oocytes. More oocytes with spindles than oocytes without spindles fertilized normally after ICSI (61.8% vs. 44.2%). Spindles in most aged oocytes were partially or completely disassembled, and only a few microtubules around the chromosomes or dispersed microtubules in the cytoplasm were observed. Confocal images of immunostained spindles were almost identical to polscope images of spindle birefringence.


CONCLUSIONS
Spindles in living human oocytes can be imaged by using the polscope. A birefringent spindle in human oocytes may clinically predict the quality and age of oocytes. This method also can be used to monitor spindle position during ICSI.
Wang
W H
WH
Division of Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 101 Dudley Street, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island 02905-2499, USA.
Meng
L
L
Hackett
R J
RJ
Odenbourg
R
R
Keefe
D L
DL
D016922:Cellular Senescence; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D009865:Oocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D008941:Spindle Apparatus