Selection of the best three oocytes for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using apoptotic analysis of cumulus cells

Introduction: We studied the apoptosis rate of the cumulus cells of individual cumulus-oocyte complex (COC), to verify a relationship with clinical outcomes, in terms of pregnancy and implantation rates. Usually oocytes are selected using morphological criteria. We tried to verify if cumulus cell apoptotic rate could be used as a molecular criteria in selecting oocytes with higher implantation potentiality. Material and Methods: The study design consisted in two different trials: in the first we investigated apoptosis rate in cumulus cells of the three selected oocytes, according to Italian law, to be fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In a second trial, average apoptosi…