Development and Future of Sperm Selection Techniques in Animal Reproduction

The production of good embryos is only possible with the use of excellent-quality sperm. For this, the in vitro manipulation of sperm requires techniques for selecting these gametes. This is the case with swim up, and other screening methods that employ centrifugation and sperm filtration processes. Such methodologies are popular due to their simplicity of execution and low cost. On the other hand, new methodologies, more sophisticated and rigorous, allow for the most accurate separation of mature spermatozoa, focusing on the physiological and molecular aspects of the gamete. An example is the selection by electrophoresis that detects differences in the net electrical charge of the plasma membrane. The sperm binding test to hyaluronan identifies gametes that have receptors for hyaluronic acid and, therefore, are capable of binding to the oocyte. Still, there is the selection of cells activated by magnetic microspheres that remove apoptotic gametes through the identification of phosphatidylserine externalized in the membrane leaflet. Furthermore, there have been advances in the development of microchips based on microfluidic technology. These devices imitate geometric aspects of the female reproductive system, in addition to having retrotaxin, chemotaxis, and thermotaxis mechanisms to promote the obtaining of functional spermatozoa from a heterogeneous sample. Therefore, this review will address the different sperm selection methods, emphasizing functioning, limitations, and applications, as well as highlighting the efficiency of the techniques in different animal species.Cite this article as: de Sousa Barbosa, B., Araújo dos Santos, F., & Barbalho de Macêdo, L. (2025). Development and future of sperm selection techniques in animal reproduction. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 51, 0066, doi: 10.5152/actavet.2025.24066.