Frequently Asked Questions

We want you to use ZyMōt devices to their fullest potential, helping both your lab and your patients. If you have questions about processing sperm samples with ZyMōt devices, please check here to see if your question has been answered. If not, please contact us and we will do our best to help.

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Devices
Devices
1. Which ZyMōt device should I use?

The vast majority of users select the ZyMōt Multi 850µL Sperm Separation Device. It is simple to adopt, easy to use, and has a robust record of success for multiple sample types. This device delivers 500µL of sample that can be directly used for IUI, IVF or ICSI procedures, and requires only 1mL syringes for use.

2. Are ZyMōt devices appropriate for all patients or are there specific inclusion criteria?

ZyMōt devices can be used with any sample that has some motile sperm, even at extremely low concentrations. We see clinics using ZyMōt devices for every eligible patient: from “normal” samples to severe male factor patients.

3. Can ZyMōt devices process frozen/donor samples?

Yes. When using a frozen sample, follow cryobank instructions on thawing the vial. Dilute the sample 1:1 with wash media (usually 500µL). Mix gently by tapping the tube/vial and inject 850µL of this diluted sample into the ZyMōt Multi 850µL device in the same manner as a fresh sample. Please see the Instructions For Use or ask us for more detail.

4. Can ZyMōt devices be used with oligospermic samples?

Yes. ZyMōt devices are not just for samples with normal parameters. ZyMōt devices are based on sperm motility, and thus require that a sample have some motile sperm, even at extremely low concentrations.

5. Are there sperm concentration limits (high or low) for using ZyMōt devices?

We have not yet found a low concentration limit with the ZyMōt Multi 850µL device, as long as there are some motile sperm in the sample. Using the standard ZyMōt Instructions for Use, users have seen success at extremely low concentration levels, with total motile counts well below 50,000/mL.
We do not have data to suggest there is a high concentration limit. Using the standard IFU procedures, our users have seen success with samples above concentrations of 220M/mL.

6. Can ZyMōt devices be used for TESE samples?

No. We do not have data to support use of ZyMōt devices for surgically extracted samples. ZyMōt Sperm Separation Devices are based on motility and thus require samples to have motile sperm – TESE samples are not likely to meet this requirement.

7. Can ZyMōt devices be used with viscous samples?

Yes. Viscous samples can be injected into the ZyMōt Multi 850µL device. We encourage users to try and avoid excessive manipulation of samples before use with ZyMōt devices. In extreme cases, viscous samples can be diluted slightly with wash media, or gently disturbed with a “chopping” motion using the recommended Luer-tip syringe used to inject the sample into a ZyMōt device. Running a sample back and forth through a syringe, for example, can exert shearing forces on sperm DNA, and should be avoided if at all possible.

8. If a sample is so viscous that it requires an enzymatic digestion, can it then be used with a ZyMōt device?

No. We do not have data to support allowing the sample to incubate with a chemical like chymotrypsin, so we do not recommend that enzymatically-digested samples be used with ZyMōt devices.

9. Can I incubate a ZyMōt Multi 850µL device for more than 30 minutes to get a higher yield?

No. The ZyMōt Multi 850µL device was designed and optimized with specific requirements for operation, as stated in the Instructions for Use. Do not deviate from the incubation times in the Instructions.

10. If I’m not ready to use a sample right away, can a sample be held in an incubator longer than 30 minutes?

No. Samples should not be held in ZyMōt devices longer than that 30 minute incubation time. If a sample cannot be used right away after the 30 minute incubation is complete, remove the sample from the device and store it in an appropriate culture tube, rather than holding the sample in the device.

11. What if a sample does not have a volume of 850µL? Can I load it anyway?

If a sample volume is less than the required 850µL, add media to the sample to bring the total volume to 850µL, mix gently by tapping the container, and then inject the 850µL volume into the device as described in the Instructions for Use. Injecting 850µL ensures that the lower chamber is full, giving sperm the maximum exposure to the device’s membrane filter, ensuring optimal recovery.

12. Do you use the same device to prepare samples for IUI and ICSI?

Yes. The ZyMōt Multi 850µL device (our most popular) produces a 500µL sample that can be used for ICSI and IVF, or be used directly in an IUI catheter.

13. Is more than one ZyMōt device required for a single IUI prep?

No. Only one ZyMōt Multi 850µL or Multi 3mL device is needed per patient. Each sample will be different, of course, and some patients may not have a suitable concentration for IUI use. But we are finding that clinics are re-evaluating their IUI concentration metrics because ZyMōt devices deliver high-quality samples. Contact us directly for more details.

14. Are there published studies comparing ZyMōt devices to traditional density-gradient centrifugation methods?

Yes. ZyMōt devices have been evaluated in a growing list of peer-reviewed publications. Additional research is ongoing.

15. Are ZyMōt Sperm Separation Devices FDA-cleared/CE-certified?

Yes. ZyMōt devices were CE certified in 2017 and FDA cleared in 2018.

16. Can patients purchase ZyMōt devices?

No. Patients cannot purchase ZyMōt devices directly – they must be obtained through a healthcare provider. Contact us to learn which USA fertility practices are currently using ZyMōt devices. Outside of the USA, ZyMōt devices are available from international distributors, who work with fertility practices to adopt ZyMōt devices. We also work with patients to help have a conversation about ZyMōt with their doctor/clinic and then work with that practice to adopt ZyMōt devices into their procedures.

17. What type of media is required to use ZyMōt devices?

We do not require the use of a specific sperm wash media, but incubation conditions must be appropriate for the type of media being used. If using a bicarbonate-buffered media, ZyMōt devices must be incubated in a humidified, 37C, gassed incubator. If using a HEPES-buffered, ZyMōt devices must be incubated in a humidified, non-gassed incubator.

18. Is an incubator required?

Yes. ZyMōt devices must be incubated for 30 minutes at 37°C.

19. How do fertility practices present ZyMōt to patients?

Clinics take different approaches to presenting ZyMōt Sperm Separation Devices to patients. Some bundle it into their standard care, so that ZyMōt use is “behind the scenes.” Other practices offer ZyMōt devices as an add-on or as a possible path to avoid surgical procedures.

20. Does the ZyMōt membrane filter stop “pinhead” sperm from swimming into the outlet chamber?

No. Sperm with heads smaller than 8 microns can physically swim through the membrane filter. “Pinhead” sperm are sometimes seen in ZyMōt-processed samples; however, they are not capable of fertilizing an egg and would not be selected for use in ICSI procedures.

21. Does sperm preparation with ZyMōt devices remove virus or bacterial contamination?

We do not have any data to indicate that ZyMōt Sperm Separation Devices remove viruses from a sample.

22. Does the ZyMōt device’s membrane filter contain any chemicals/drugs?

No. ZyMōt devices are made with certified sperm-safe materials, including the membrane filter. The device and membrane filter contain no drug or chemical treatment. We can provide a Certificate of Conformance upon request.

23. Are ZyMōt devices and Fertile chips the same thing?

Yes

Can’t find the answer to your question?

We want you to use ZyMōt devices to their fullest potential, helping both your lab and your patients.

If your question has not been answered, please contact us using the form on the right and we will do our best to help.