NEWS & KNOWLEDGE

MACS Sperm (MACS ART Annexin V System)

The MACS Sperm technique is a method used to improve sperm quality for assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Normally, ejaculated semen contains a mixture of healthy, motile sperm and dead or poorly motile sperm. Poor-quality sperm can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may negatively affect surrounding cells.

The MACS Sperm technique selects healthy, functional sperm by using the principle of apoptosis (programmed cell death):

• In apoptotic sperm, the cell surface changes, causing phosphatidylserine (PS) to move to the outer surface of the sperm cell.

• PS on the surface binds to Annexin V, allowing the separation of apoptotic (damaged) sperm from healthy sperm.

Picture of Apoptotic Sperm. The cell surface changes properties,

causing Phosphatidylserine (PS) to move out to the outer surface of the sperm cell.

Binding of Annexin V reagent to Phosphatidylserine in Apoptotic Sperm

After binding to Annexin V, the sperm sample is passed through a magnetic field.

• Apoptotic (dead or damaged) sperm are trapped by the magnetic field and cannot pass through.

• Only healthy, viable sperm are able to pass through and are collected for use in ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection).

The MACS Sperm technique is fast and efficient, taking only about 30 minutes to complete, providing a convenient method for selecting high-quality sperm for assisted reproduction.

By Assoc.Prof. Matchuporn Sukprasert