Hypo-Osmotic Swelling Test Kit
Hypo-Osmotic Swelling Test Kit
Sperm membrane integrity (structural and functional) when questionable or inadequate may compromise sperm fertilizing capacity (by affecting motility, capacitation, acrosome reaction, and binding of sperm on Zona Pellucida).
Membrane integrity is evaluated through two tests:
- Sperm Vitality (Structural Integrity)
- HOS (Hypo-Osmotic Swelling) (Functional Integrity)
Hypo-Osmotic Swelling (HOS) test evaluates the functional integrity of plasma membrane by its ability to maintain equilibrium between the sperm cell and the environment. It is based on principle that under hypoosmotic stress there is influx of fluid causing normal sperm tail to coil and balloon or swell.
A dead spermatozoon exhibits uncontrolled swelling to the degree of membrane rupture resulting in tail straightening.
The HOS test identifies live spermatozoa without killing them allowing utilization of these spermatozoa for therapeutic procedures, such as Intro Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).