title: Comparative analysis of the metaphase II spindle of human oocytes through polarized light and high-performance confocal microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether Polscope analysis can predict different spindle and chromosome configurations of the oocyte metaphase II (MII) spindle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of Polscope and confocal microscopy analysis of the MII spindle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private IVF unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women undergoing IVF treatment for male or unexplained infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh and frozen-thawed mature oocytes were analyzed through the Polscope and, immediately afterward, fixed for confocal microscopy assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of retardance values, derived from Polscope analysis, between spindles with different microtubule and chromosome configurations, defined by confocal microscopy evaluation. Measurements of spindle longitudinal axis through the Polscope and confocal microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean retardance values of different categories of spindle configuration were not statistically significant in almost all cases, allowing only the identification of spindles with highly disorganized microtubules and chromosomes in frozen-thawed oocytes. In spindles with bipolar organization, the Polscope produced measurements of the spindle main axis which were in all cases statistically smaller compared with confocal microscopy evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retardance measurements have limited predictive value of the degree of spindle fiber order and chromosome position in routine clinical settings. Also, under the conditions tested, morphometric evaluation of the spindle through the Polscope is not consistent with confocal analysis. This suggests that the Polscope may still be a rather inefficient method for assessing the metaphase II spindle and, as a result, for noninvasive oocyte selection.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Health, Tecnobios Procreazione, Bologna, Italy. coticchio@tecnobiosprocreazione.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coticchio
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sciajno
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hutt
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bromfield
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borini
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Albertini
mesh_terms: D002877:Chromosomes, Human; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase / Q000502:physiology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure*