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Clinical Trial
. 2012 Oct;29(10):1117-22.
doi: 10.1007/s10815-012-9840-9. Epub 2012 Aug 16.

Polarized light microscopy-detectable structures of human oocytes and embryos are related to the likelihood of conception in IVF

Emanuela Molinari  1 , Francesca Evangelista, Cinzia Racca, Celeste Cagnazzo, Alberto Revelli
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Polarized light microscopy-detectable structures of human oocytes and embryos are related to the likelihood of conception in IVF

Emanuela Molinari et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2012 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: To clarify if birefringent structures of human oocytes and embryos, measurable by polarized light microscopy, have any value in predicting the chance of pregnancy in human in vitro fertilization and may halp to identify the most competent oocytes and embryos.

Methods: The inner layer of the zona pellucida (IL-ZP) and the meiotic spindle (MS) were analyzed by polarized light microscopy in 258 oocytes and in the 209 embryos deriving from them. Data obtained from 102 ICSI cycles with conception were compared with those obtained in 156 cycles without conception. The retardance and area of the IL-ZP, as well as the retardance, length of the major axis, and area of the MS were measured. Furthermore, polarized light microscopy parameters were related to the embryo morphological score by multiple regression analysis.

Result(s): The mean area of the IL-ZP of both oocytes and embryos was significantly lower in conception than in non-conception cycles (p = 0.0001 for oocytes and p = 0.002 for embryos). The area of the IL-ZP in embryos was significantly, inversely related to the embryo morphological score (p = 0.011). The area, the major axis length and the retarcance of the MS, as well as the retardance of the IL-ZP in oocytes and embryos were comparable in conception and non-conception cycles.

Conclusion: The area of the IL-ZP of the human oocytes may represent a marker of oocyte competence, as oocytes with a low IL-ZP area are more frequently obtained in conception cycles. When measured in embryos, a low IL-ZP area identifies embryos with a high chance of implantation.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PLM analysis of an oocyte. Manual measurement of MS major axis length
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
PLM analysis of oocytes and embryos. Automated detection by Oosight™ software of birefringent structures of oocytes and embryos. (1) The bright signal corresponding to oocyte MS was automatically located and highlighted in red, obtaining data regarding retardance, length of the major axis and area; (2) the ring-like structure (in red) corresponds to the automatic detection of the area and retardance of the inner layer of the zona pellucida (IL-ZP), that is particularly birefringent. Immediately before replacement into the uterine cavity, embryos underwent morphological scoring (3). Embryos with the highest score were selected for transfer and a PLM picture of IL-ZP was captured (4)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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