title: Does combining magnetic-activated cell sorting with density gradient or swim-up improve sperm selection?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to evaluate whether combining the magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) with density-gradient (DG) or swim-up (SU) sperm separation techniques can improve sperm selection to obtain higher quality spermatozoa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two commonly used sperm selection techniques, SU and DG, were compared to MACS combined with either SU or DG. Spermatozoa obtained from normozoospermic (n = 10) and oligozoospermic (n = 10) cases were grouped as SU, DG, SU+MACS, and DG+MACS followed by the analysis of sperm morphology, motility, DNA integrity, and the levels of Izumo-1 and PLCZ proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although spermatozoa obtained by SU or DG when combined with MACS have improved aspects when compared to SU or DG alone, results did not reach a statistically significant level. Moreover, separation with MACS caused a significant loss in the numbers of total and rapid progressive spermatozoa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the cost/benefit ratio, MACS application together with traditional techniques may only be preferred in certain cases having higher concentrations of spermatozoa, but it does not seem to be an ideal and practical sperm selection technique for routine use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cetinkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duru
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aras
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Betül
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koca
authors.affiliation: Ankara University School of Medicine, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Cebeci, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozkavukcu
authors.affiliation: Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Women's Health Teaching and Research Hospital, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: İskender
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Kaplanoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alp
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Can
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratories for Stem Cells and Reproductive Biology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey. ocinar@ankara.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cinar
mesh_terms: D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient / Q000379:methods*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000503:physiopathology; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C498176:IZUMO1 protein, human; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010738:Type C Phospholipases
keywords: DNA integrity; Izumo-1; Magnetic cell sorting; PLC-ζ; Sperm selection