Figure 1
From: Sperm selection by thermotaxis improves ICSI outcome in mice
Spermatozoa selected by thermotaxis in vitro. (a) In the in vitro thermotaxis assay, spermatozoa are loaded in one drop of medium at one temperature and left to migrate to another drop at a higher temperature connected by a capillary tube (separation unit). See text for further details. (b) Number of mouse spermatozoa counted after migration across a temperature gradient or stable temperatures (mean ± SEM, n = 14, 1.5–3 × 106 spermatozoa loaded per separation unit). Different letters indicate significant differences (P < 0.001 two–way ANOVA). (c) Number of human spermatozoa counted after migration across a temperature gradient or stable temperatures (mean ± SEM, n = 8, 3–10 × 106 spermatozoa loaded per separation unit). *P < 0.001 two-way ANOVA. (d) Net thermotaxis of mouse and human spermatozoa (mean ± SEM, n = 14 and n = 8 respectively). (e) Percentage of spermatozoa showing specific rhodopsin staining in the unselected whole sample, in the subpopulation selected by thermotaxis, in spermatozoa flushed from the uterus, and in spermatozoa flushed from the fallopian tube (mean ± SEM; n = 5, 50–100 spermatozoa per determination). *P < 0.0001 two-tailed Student’s t-test. (f) Representative image of fluorescent immunocytochemistry showing the distribution of rhodopsin in mouse and human spermatozoa selected by thermotaxis. Bar = 5 µm.
