Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is a micromanipulation technique used in the process of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). It involves injecting a single sperm into the centre of a mature oocyte under a microscope (i.e. injecting the sperm through the egg’s shell so that the sperm does not need to penetrate the shell in order to fertilise the egg).
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is an intricate procedure, performed under a microscope by a highly skilled medical professional. The procedure itself is relatively simple (in comparison to other micromanipulation techniques) however before the actual sperm injection can be performed, spermatozoon and oocytes must be retrieved and specially prepared so that they are ready for the injection process.
A single viable sperm and oocyte are then selected for injection. Microscopic instruments (a holding pipette and an injecting pipette) are used to pick up the sperm and inject it into the centre of the ovum. The pipette is then removed and the injected ovum placed in a growth culture medium, where, if the procedure has been successful, fertilisation will occur, usually 16-20 hours following the injection.
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