Single-Cell Metal Profiling for Male Infertility Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing male infertility are inadequate, as they primarily focus on physical and biochemical parameters, leading to a high diagnostic failure rate and misclassification of idiopathic infertility cases, with a need for a more effective assessment of sperm functional quality.
Innovation Solution
The use of single-cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sc-ICP-MS) to detect the concentration and dynamic or kinetic parameters of specific metals in spermatozoa, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, and others, to differentiate between fertile and infertile spermatozoa by analyzing metal levels outside predetermined ranges or abnormal signal spikes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional semen analysis and physical-based sperm parameters are used for diagnosis, then the diagnostic process is simple and easy to perform, but the diagnostic accuracy is low with a failure rate of 30% to 70%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional physical and biochemical parameters to elemental composition parameters (metal concentrations) for sperm characterization. By measuring metal concentrations such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements in single sperm cells using sc-ICP-MS, the diagnostic method achieves higher accuracy in identifying fertile versus infertile sperm, resolving the limitation of conventional methods that fail to detect functional quality differences.
2Measurement precision
If single-cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sc-ICP-MS) is used to detect metal concentrations in spermatozoa, then the diagnostic accuracy improves significantly, but the device complexity and measurement difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical and optical detection methods with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technology. This substitution enables precise measurement of metal concentrations at the single-cell level by ionizing the sample in a plasma environment and detecting metal isotopes through mass spectrometry, achieving attogram-level sensitivity for elements like zinc, calcium, and trace metals that are critical for sperm function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that includes sample introduction devices, nebulization systems, and plasma generation components. These intermediary systems prepare single sperm cells for ICP-MS analysis by converting them into a form suitable for plasma ionization, thereby enabling the detection of intracellular metal concentrations without direct manipulation of the single cells during measurement.
3Reliability
If traditional biochemical component analysis of seminal plasma is performed, then the analysis is relatively simple, but it cannot identify functional quality differences in sperm leading to idiopathic infertility misclassification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the analysis from population-level seminal plasma measurement to single-sperm-cell level analysis. By analyzing metal concentrations in individual sperm cells rather than averaging across the entire seminal plasma sample, the method can identify functional heterogeneity within the sperm population and detect subtle differences in cellular metal content that correlate with fertilization capability, thereby improving diagnostic reliability for idiopathic infertility cases.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for precise identification of infertile spermatozoa by quantifying metal concentrations and kinetic parameters, improving diagnostic accuracy and enabling targeted infertility therapies.
Implementation Method 1
single cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sc-ICP-MS)
Implementation Method 2
single cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sc-ICP-MS)
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a method for detecting infertile spermatozoa in a sample, the method comprising: detecting a concentration of at least one metal in the sample that falls outside of a predetermined range using single cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sc-ICP-MS). It also provides a method for detecting infertile spermatozoa in a sample, which comprising: detecting a dynamic or kinetic parameter of a signal spike of at least one metal selected from the group of several metallic elements by sc-ICP-MS.