The PICSI technique (Physiological Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), also known as physiological ICSI, is a variant of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) used in assisted reproduction to inject sperm directly into the egg under a microscope.
It is based on the selection of mature and high-quality sperm by their ability to bind to hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally coats the eggs.
The main difference lies in the method of sperm selection.
In traditional ICSI, embryologists select sperm based on morphological and motility criteria.
PICSI, on the other hand, is a very specific sperm selection technique that allows for selecting higher quality sperm based on their ability to bind to hyaluronic acid.
In the PICSI process, sperm are placed on a special plate that contains drops of a substance similar to hyaluronic acid. Only the highest quality and mature sperm adhere to these drops, allowing embryology specialists to select the best for microinjection into the egg.
This method helps select sperm with lower DNA fragmentation, which can increase success rates in fertilization and reduce the risk of miscarriages.
The PICSI technique is used in the following cases:
Sperm selected through PICSI tend to have lower DNA fragmentation, which can improve embryo quality and implantation rates.
