Therapeutic use of platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of male infertility.

Abstract

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a regenerative therapy that has gained interest in recent years, being the subject of various studies and applications. In the field of human reproduction specifically, there are growth factors (GFs) present in PRP that have shown an impact on sperm quality and function. The main objective of this article is to conduct a literature review on the use of PRP for the treatment of male infertility. To achieve this, a bibliographic search of articles and reviews in scientific journals about the possible use of PRP for the treatment of male factor published between 2018 and 2023 has been carried out. Nine publications were identified, proposing the application of PRP in the following areas: sperm cryopreservation, oxidative stress, culture of spermatogonial stem cells, and secretory azoospermia. According to the literature, supplementing the cryopreservation medium with PRP improves sperm parameters, and samples incubated with PRP show an increase in their antioxidant capacity. Finally, PRP can increase the proliferation and vitality of spermatogonial stem cells and sperm recovery in cases of non-obstructive azoospermia. PRP shows therapeutic potential in various aspects of the male factor. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to define both its protocols and its clinical efficacy.