Sperm that don't move fast enough have a hard time reaching the egg and can cause fertility problems.
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Laboratory research has revealed that applying ultrasound to immobile sperm causes it to move. If sperm does not move properly, it becomes difficult for them to reach the egg, which is a major cause of infertility. With further research, this technology could help improve the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Previous research suggests that: High frequency ultrasound increases sperm motility. However, the study did not involve isolating the sperm to assess which individual cells would be beneficial, allowing doctors to find the best cells to use in fertility treatments.
In the latest research, Ali Vafaie The researchers, from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, classified 50 semen samples into three groups (fast, slow, and stationary) according to sperm motility, based on guidelines for assessing swimming speed.
After separating individual sperm cells from semen samples, the researchers measured the motility of the cells before and after exposure to ultrasound waves with a power of 800 megawatts and a frequency of 40 megahertz.
After 20 seconds of ultrasound, 59 percent of the immobile sperm slowed down, and some started swimming rapidly. Changes in sperm motility peaked at an increase of 266%.
Overall, immotile sperm made up 36% of the samples at the start of the study, but this decreased to just 10% after treatment. It is unclear how long the increase in migration lasted.
Researchers believe that exposure to ultrasound improves dysfunction in sperm's mitochondria, the cells' powerhouses, contributing to increased motility.
This approach could increase the success rate of in vitro fertilization, which requires motile sperm for conception, and could avoid the need for multiple costly surgeries.
But first, Vafai says, the research group will need to test the effectiveness of the approach on sperm, particularly in people experiencing infertility due to reduced sperm mobility. Scientists also need to assess whether it is safe to create embryos from sperm exposed to ultrasound, he says.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
