Cryopreservation of Limited Sperm Using A Combination of Sucrose and Taurine, Loaded on Two Different Devices, and Thawed at Two Different Temperatures

Abstract

Background: Cryopreservation of sperm is essential for patients with low sperm counts and couples undergoing infertilitytreatment. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Taurine (T) and Sucrose (S) in individual spermcryopreservation utilizing cryotop and petri dish and thawing at 37 and 42°C.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 17 normospermic semen samples were processed using the"Swim-up" procedure and progressively motile sperm were then isolated from these samples using an inverted microscope.Sperm were added to droplets of "sucrose medium" with 25 mM Taurine antioxidant (S+T) and the commercialcryoprotectant "Sperm Freeze" (CPA), loaded on a petri dish and cryotop. After rapid freezing of the samples, theywere thawed at two different temperatures (37°C and 42°C), and the sperm classical parameters, viability, and DNAfragmentation were assessed.Results: Statistical analysis displayed a significant increase in total and progressive motility in individual spermfreezing on cryotop with CPA and thawing at 42°C (P<0.05). Other parameters did not show any differences betweenthe CPA and S+T groups and two thawing temperatures in either of the cryopreservation methods.Conclusion: Although, both cryoprotectants (CPA and S+T) may preserve individual sperm effectively using cryotop,the CPA and thawing at 42°C showed a better effect on the motility percentage of the small number of sperm.

Keywords

• antioxidant
• cryotop
• sperm cryopreservation
• taurine