Small change, big IVF boost
A remarkable step forward in fertility science.
Freezing single sperm cells has always been tricky. For patients with very low sperm counts, every cell matters, yet standard cryopreservation methods either lose cells in the process or, when stored in tiny nanoliter drops, leave them unable to survive thawing.
In a recent study, Bat-Sheva Galmidi, with Prof. Dror Fixler, in collaboration with Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, uncovered the underlying cause: water gradually diffuses from the droplet into the surrounding oil, which is intended to protect it. This subtle change increases the salt concentration within the droplet, ultimately harming the cells. The research was initiated under the leadership of the late Prof. Mordechai Deutsch, who passed away a few months ago.
Their fix is elegantly simple, using oil already saturated with water. This small change stops the water loss and dramatically improves survival rates.
This innovation could revolutionize IVF treatments, giving hope to patients with minimal viable sperm samples, and may even transform cryopreservation techniques for other biological materials, a leap forward for medicine and science.
