Fertilization Success Research Articles

Structures of sperm flagellar doublet microtubules expand the genetic spectrum of male infertility

Sperm motility is crucial for successful fertilization. Highly decorated doublet microtubules (DMTs) form the sperm tail skeleton, which propels the movement of spermatozoa. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and artificial intelligence (AI)-based modeling, we determined the structures of mouse and human sperm DMTs and built an atomic model of the 48-nm repeat of the mouse sperm DMT. Our analysis revealed 47 DMT-associated proteins, including 45 microtubule inner proteins (MIPs). We identified 10 sperm-specific MIPs, including seven classes of Tektin5 in the lumen of the A tubule and FAM166 family members that bind the intra-tubulin interfaces. Interestingly, the human sperm DMT lacks some MIPs compared with the mouse sperm DMT. We also discovered variants in 10 distinct MIPs associated with a subtype of asthenozoospermia characterized by impaired sperm motility without evident morphological abnormalities. Our study highlights the conservation and tissue/species specificity of DMTs and expands the genetic spectrum of male infertility.

Sustainable assessment and resource recycling opportunities identification for China's pig industry: Integrating environmental, economic and social perspectives

Livestock plays a vital role in the livelihoods and nutritional security of people worldwide and leads to significant environmental challenges. Manure management is a major hurdle for sustainable livestock development and serves as a critical source of natural fertilizer and green energy. Given that pork accounts for the highest meat production and consumption share, this study systematically evaluates China's pig production and main manure resource utilization scenarios from life-cycle environmental, economic, and social perspectives. Results show that China's pig production poses considerable potential environmental risks, primarily in the categories of fossil depletion, freshwater ecotoxicity, particulates formation, global warming, and water depletion. Feed production coupled with traditional manure treatment scenario contributes to 94.4 %–98.4 % of the key environmental impact categories and socioeconomic impact, with 32.0 % to 38.3 % of the economic costs also stemming from feed costs. In the energy utilization scenario, the potential benefits of fossil depletion and global warming categories resulting from the replacement of synthetic fertilizers with manure-based organic fertilizers in the traditional pig manure treatment scenario could be expanded by 89.6 % and 39.2 %, respectively. China's pig production contributed 0.72 % of the national carbon emissions in 2020. Fully utilizing energy potential and organic fertilizer from pig manure would achieve 0.63 % of national carbon reduction potential, as well as an economic benefit of $1.45 × 1012 and a social benefit of $8.89 × 109. Precision feeding technology, rebuilding the spatial connection between pig farms and arable land, and internalizing external costs were recommended to ensure the sustainable development of China's pig industry.

Temperature and winter duration requirements for reproductive success in johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum in the South Platte River basin, Colorado

Abstract Changes in water temperature and its seasonal timing influences the physiological processes of many aquatic ectotherms. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) contribute to warmer and more consistent water temperatures in streams draining the North American Great Plains, particularly during winter months. Reduced variation in seasonal water temperature may adversely affect fishes that rely on temperature fluctuation or specific overwintering temperatures for reproductive cues. We used johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum (Family Percidae), a thermally sensitive species native to the South Platte River Basin, as a focal species to assess the effects of winter water temperature regulations in Colorado. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of winter stream temperature and winter duration on reproductive success of johnny darter in the laboratory to inform development of water quality criteria for the South Platte River Basin. Winter duration (60, 90 or 120 days) and temperature (4 or 12°C) were crossed in a factorial design of six treatments that simulated warmed effluent‐impacted streams as well as streams with a more natural thermal regime. We defined reproductive success in johnny darter by examining four reproductive endpoints: (1) spawning timing, (2) egg and larvae production, (3) egg success, and (4) egg development. Across the four endpoints, seven main response variables were measured: spawning initiation date, eggs per gram of female per week, live larvae per gram of female per week, fertilisation success, hatching success, egg‐to‐larva survival and days to hatch. Winter temperature and duration influenced spawning timing and egg development. Earlier spawning initiation dates were observed in fish exposed to 12°C winters and was associated with a higher number of days to hatch. Eggs per gram of female per week, live larvae per gram of female per week, fertilisation success, hatching success, and egg‐to‐larva survival were similar among winter treatments. Although the State of Colorado chronic winter water temperature standard of 12°C appears to be adequate for egg and larvae production in johnny darter, our results showed that fish exposed to the standard began spawning significantly earlier than fish exposed to 4°C winters. Evaluating reproductive output in the context of seasonal timing is valid because spawning timing has the potential to affect overall production and egg development, and consequently recruitment and population sustainability. Therefore, spawning timing should be considered when making management decisions and revising water temperature standards. The warming of streams and rivers from WWTP effluent is a global issue, especially in areas that are undergoing rapid urbanisation. Fishes are particularly sensitive to water temperature and many fishes worldwide are likely to be experiencing changes in important physiological processes, affecting both reproduction and survival. Our study indicates that reproductive timing could be influenced by stream warming and stresses the need for further studies on the influence of anthropogenic effects on stream warming.

Potential Applications of Food-Waste-Based Anaerobic Digestate for Sustainable Crop Production Practice

The global food system is and will be facing many challenges in the coming decades, which will necessitate innovative solutions to address the issues of a diminishing fertilizer supply, an increasing food demand from growing populations, and frequent extreme climates due to greenhouse gas emissions. An advancement proposed is the synthesizing of fertilizer from food waste, here referred to as food waste anaerobic digestate (FWAD). This occurs through the process of anaerobic digestion, where organic matter such as food waste is contained in an anaerobic environment and allowed to be broken down by microorganisms. One of the resulting products is anaerobic digestate, which possesses the necessary nutrients for effective fertilization for crop production. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases and waste in landfills, the replacement of synthetic fertilizers with ones made from food waste would help to alleviate the impacts of the current fertilizer shortage being experienced worldwide, which will be exacerbated by a reducing supply of materials needed for synthetic fertilizer production. In this paper, we discuss the nutrient characteristics of FWAD, and recent studies utilizing FWAD in horticulture and crop production, to advance our understanding of the effectiveness and challenges of using FWAD as a fertilizer. By employing appropriate application methods, such as nitrification, dilution, and amendment, FWAD demonstrates considerable potential as an effective fertilizer for a wide range of leafy greens and some fruiting crops.

Comparative effect of inducing broodstock with natural and artificial hormones on reproductive performances of Heterobranchus longifilis

This study was conducted to assess the effects of ovaprim and pituitary extract on the reproductive performances of Heterobranchus longifilis (African catfish). A total of twenty broodstock, 12 males and 8 females with mean weight of 2 kg each were selected for breeding following the external morphological characteristics and standard breeding procedure. The water parameters for indoor culture tanks during the study were optimal for breeding: dissolved oxygen – 5.18 mg L-1 ; pH 7.31; temperature, 27.6 ˚C. The result revealed no significant (P > 0.05) differences in water quality parameters between the culture tanks for artificial and natural hormonal applications in this study. The percentage fertilization, hatchability, survival and fry production success were: 84.25 %, 92. 31 %, 88.14 % and 68.42 %; and 75.17 %, 69.57 %, 64.33 % and 33.66 %, respectively, for pituitary extract and Ovaprim®. Pituitary extract recorded higher values and significantly performed better (P < 0.05) between the two treatments. This indicates that the use of natural pituitary extract is equally as effective as the use of the artificial hormone Ovaprim® for the artificial propagation of Heterobranchus longifilis. It is therefore recommended.

Disruption of pollen tube homogalacturonan synthesis relieves pollen tube penetration defects in the Arabidopsis O-FUCOSYLTRANSFERASE1 mutant.

During angiosperm sexual reproduction, pollen tubes must penetrate through multiple cell types in the pistil to mediate successful fertilization. Although this process is highly choreographed and requires complex chemical and mechanical signaling to guide the pollen tube to its destination, aspects of our understanding of pollen tube penetration through the pistil are incomplete. Our previous work demonstrated that disruption of the Arabidopsis thaliana O-FUCOSYLTRANSFERASE1 (OFT1) gene resulted in decreased pollen tube penetration through the stigma-style interface. Here, we demonstrate that second site mutations of Arabidopsis GALACTURONOSYLTRANSFERASE 14 (GAUT14) effectively suppress the phenotype of oft1 mutants, partially restoring silique length, seed set, pollen transmission, and pollen tube penetration deficiencies in navigating the female reproductive tract. These results suggest that disruption of pectic homogalacturonan (HG) synthesis can alleviate the penetrative defects associated with the oft1 mutant and may implicate pectic HG deposition in the process of pollen tube penetration through the stigma-style interface in Arabidopsis. These results also support a model in which OFT1 function directly or indirectly modifies structural features associated with the cell wall, with the loss of oft1 leading to an imbalance in the wall composition that can be compensated for by a reduction in pectic HG deposition.

Advances in Oocyte Maturation In Vivo and In Vitro in Mammals.

The quality and maturation of an oocyte not only play decisive roles in fertilization and embryo success, but also have long-term impacts on the later growth and development of the fetus. Female fertility declines with age, reflecting a decline in oocyte quantity. However, the meiosis of oocytes involves a complex and orderly regulatory process whose mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. This review therefore mainly focuses on the regulation mechanism of oocyte maturation, including folliculogenesis, oogenesis, and the interactions between granulosa cells and oocytes, plus in vitro technology and nuclear/cytoplasm maturation in oocytes. Additionally, we have reviewed advances made in the single-cell mRNA sequencing technology related to oocyte maturation in order to improve our understanding of the mechanism of oocyte maturation and to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent research into oocyte maturation.

Effect of slurry application techniques on nitrous oxide emission from temperate grassland under varying soil and climatic conditions

AbstractThe effect of slurry application techniques and slurry N stabilizing strategies on nitrous oxide emission from grasslands is poorly understood and, therefore, can result in large uncertainties in national/regional inventories. Field experiments were, thus, conducted to estimate the effect of different fertilization techniques on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Fertilizer was applied (135–270 kg N ha−1 year−1) as calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), untreated or treated cattle slurry. The slurry was either treated with sulfuric acid (target pH = 6.0), applied using trailing shoes or treated with 3,4‐dimethyl pyrazole phosphate and applied via slot injection. N2O fluxes were sampled using the closed chamber technique. Cumulative N2O emissions ranged 0.1–2.9 kg N ha−1 year−1 across the treatment, sites and years. The N application techniques showed inconsistent effects on soil mineral N content, cumulative N2O emission and N yield. The fertilizer replacement value of slurry was low due to low N use efficiencies at the sites. However, a close positive relationship (r = 0.5; p = .013) between slurry value and biomass yield was observed, highlighting the benefit of high slurry value on crop productivity. N2O‐N emission factors were low for all treatments, including CAN, but were 2–6 times higher in 2019 than in 2020 due to lower precipitation in 2020. Variations in N2O emission were largely explained by soil and climatic factors. Even with the low N2O emissions, this study highlights the benefit (significant mitigation of N2O emissions) of replacing the increasingly expensive chemical fertilizer N with input from slurry under favourable conditions for denitrification.

Subsequent fertility after cesarean scar pregnancy: a retrospective analysis

BackgroundCesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) refers to the implantation and growth of the gestational sac at a uterine scarring site due to a previous cesarean section. The effects of CSP on subsequent fertility have emerged as a clinical issue of importance in gynecology and obstetrics in China owing to the increasing rate of cesarean section over the past 30 years in combination with the abolition of the national family planning policy, allowing for subsequent pregnancies. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of CSP treatment on subsequent fertility and pregnancy outcomes.MethodsThe study consecutively enrolled 499 women treated for CSP at Taizhou Hospital between January 2009 and December 2018. The study outcomes were the rate of secondary infertility and pregnancy outcomes. Clinical information was collected at the time of admission for CSP treatment. Information on subsequent fertility and pregnancy outcomes was collected via telephonic follow-up.ResultsAmong the 499 women who met the inclusion criteria for CSP, 48 were lost to follow-up. Most women (74.9%, 338/451) did not express the desire for a subsequent pregnancy after CSP treatment. Among the 113 women who initially desired a subsequent pregnancy, 62 finally abandoned fertility plans. Among the 51 women who pursued pregnancy, 48 pregnancies were recorded in 43 women, infertility secondary to CSP treatment was identified in 15.7% (8/51) of women, and 60.8% (31/51) of women achieved full-term pregnancy, with placenta accreta spectrum identified in two women, one requiring a hysterectomy during cesarean section due to massive bleeding. Among the 16 women treated with uterine artery embolization combined with uterine aspiration and 18 women treated by ultrasound-guided local lauromacrogol injection combined with uterine aspiration, a successful full-term pregnancy rate of 68.8% (11/16) and 88.9% (16/18), respectively, was achieved. There were five cases of recurrent CSP among all 76 pregnancies (6.6%).ConclusionOver a long-term follow-up of women after CSP treatment, a high successful fertility rate was identified, with also an increased CSP recurrence rate. Uterine artery embolization combined with uterine aspiration and ultrasound-guided local lauromacrogol injection combined with uterine aspiration showed high rates of successful post-treatment fertility and pregnancy.

Factors Affecting Pollination and Pollinators in Oil Palm Plantations: A Review with an Emphasis on the Elaeidobius kamerunicus Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Pollination is crucial for oil palm yield, and its efficiency is influenced by multiple factors, including the effectiveness of Elaeidobius kamerunicus weevils as pollinators in Southeast Asia. Weevils transfer pollen between male and female flowers, leading to successful fertilization and fruit development, which contributes to higher oil palm yields and increased production of valuable oil. Understanding and conserving the weevil population is important for sustainable oil palm cultivation practices. The interaction between pollinators, including weevils, and environmental factors is complex, involving aspects such as pollinator behavior, abundance, diversity, and effectiveness, which are influenced by weather, landscape composition, and pesticide use. Understanding these interactions is critical for promoting sustainable pollination practices, including effective pest management and maintaining optimal pollinator populations. This review discusses various abiotic and biotic factors that affect pollination and pollinators in oil palm plantations, with a particular focus on weevils as primary pollinators. Factors such as rainfall, humidity, oil palm species, temperature, endogamy, parasitic nematodes, insecticides, predators, and proximity to natural forests can impact the weevil population. Further research is recommended to fill knowledge gaps and promote sustainable pollination practices in the oil palm industry.

Genome of tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) 'Montmorency' identifies three distinct ancestral Prunus genomes.

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is a valuable fruit crop in the Rosaceae family and a hybrid between progenitors closely related to extant Prunus fruticosa (ground cherry) and Prunus avium (sweet cherry). Here we report a chromosome-scale genome assembly for sour cherry cultivar Montmorency, the predominant cultivar grown in the USA. We also generated a draft assembly of P. fruticosa to use alongside a published P. avium sequence for syntelog-based subgenome assignments for 'Montmorency' and provide compelling evidence P. fruticosa is also an allotetraploid. Using hierarchal k-mer clustering and phylogenomics, we show 'Montmorency' is trigenomic, containing two distinct subgenomes inherited from a P. fruticosa-like ancestor (A and A') and two copies of the same subgenome inherited from a P. avium-like ancestor (BB). The genome composition of 'Montmorency' is AA'BB and little-to-no recombination has occurred between progenitor subgenomes (A/A' and B). In Prunus, two known classes of genes are important to breeding strategies: the self-incompatibility loci (S-alleles), which determine compatible crosses, successful fertilization, and fruit set, and the Dormancy Associated MADS-box genes (DAMs), which strongly affect dormancy transitions and flowering time. The S-alleles and DAMs in 'Montmorency' and P. fruticosa were manually annotated and support subgenome assignments. Lastly, the hybridization event 'Montmorency' is descended from was estimated to have occurred less than 1.61 million years ago, making sour cherry a relatively recent allotetraploid. The 'Montmorency' genome highlights the evolutionary complexity of the genus Prunus and will inform future breeding strategies for sour cherry, comparative genomics in the Rosaceae, and questions regarding neopolyploidy.

Buffalo sperm membrane glycan-binding proteins reveal precise and preferential binding signatures with specific glycans targets on oviduct epithelium and zona pellucida-an implication in fertilization

Sperm membrane glycan-binding proteins (lectins) interact with the counterpart glycans in the oviduct, oocytes, and vice-versa. It has already been well known that specific glycans are present on oviductal epithelium and zona pellucida (ZP) in different mammalian species. Some of these glycans are necessary for oviductal sperm reservoir formation and gamete recognition. The specific binding phenomenon of lectin-glycans is one of the vital factors for successful fertilization in mammals. We hypothesized that buffalo sperm membrane glycan-binding proteins have specific glycan targets in the oviduct and ZP supporting the fertilization event. In the present investigation, sperm membrane proteins were extracted and assessed for their binding capacity with glycans using a high-throughput glycan microarray. The most promising glycan binding signals were evaluated to confirm the sperm putative receptors for glycan targets in the oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) and on ZP using an in-vitro competitive binding inhibition assay. Based on an array of 100 glycans, we found that N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc), Lewis-a trisaccharide, 3′-sialyllactosamine and LacdiNAc were the most promising glycans and selected for further in-vitro validation. We established an inhibitory concentration of 12 mM Lewis-a trisaccharide and 10 μg/ml Lotus tetragonolobus (LTL) lectin for the sperm-OEC binding interaction, indicating its specificity and sensitivity. We observed that 3 mM 3′-sialyllactosamine, and LacdiNAc were the most competitive inhibitory concentration in sperm-ZP binding, suggesting a specific and abundance-dependent binding affinity. The competitive binding affinity of Maackia amurensis (MAA) lectin with Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-4)GlcNAc further supports the abundance of 3′-sialyllactosamine on ZP responsible for sperm binding. Our findings develop the strong evidence on buffalo sperm putative receptors underlying their locking specificities with Lewis-a trisaccharide in oviduct and 3′-sialyllactosamine on ZP. The functional interaction of buffalo sperm lectins with the target glycans in OEC and ZP appears to be accomplished in an abundance-dependent manner, facilitating the fertilization event in buffaloes.

Effect of ovarian fluid on sperm performance in teleost with internal and external fertilization strategies

Ovarian fluid is essential for successful fertilization by maintaining the viability, motility, and velocity of sperm. The organic compounds and inorganic ions in ovarian fluid significantly influence spermatozoa's motility, velocity, and longevity. However, the effect of ovarian fluid on sperm performance is limited in teleost fish. In this study, the effect of ovarian fluid on sperm performance and its components in external fertilization species (Scophthalmus maximus, turbot) and internal fertilization species (Sebastes schlegelii, black rockfish) was investigated using computer-assisted sperm analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography, and metabolome analysis. The ovarian fluid had a distinct and species-specific effect on both species. In the black rockfish, the ovarian fluid from turbot significantly increased sperm motility (74.07% ± 4.09%), as well as VCL (45 ± 1.67 μm/s), VAP (40.17 ± 1.6 μm/s), and VSL (36.67 ± 1.86 μm/s), and longevity (352 ± 11.31 min) (P < 0.05). In the turbot, only the longevity (71.33 ± 5.69 min) and fertilization rate (65.27% ± 11.59%) showed significantly improvement (P < 0.05). The ovarian fluid was rich in organic compounds, suggesting enrichment in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways. The results suggest that glycometabolism plays a crucial role in improving sperm performance in teleost with internal fertilization. Thus, incorporating ovarian fluid into the sperm activation medium can enhance artificial fertilization in fish breeding.

Evaluation of oxidative stress in idiopathic male infertility in the Iraqi population

Introduction and Aim: Idiopathic infertility accounts for at least 30% of all cases of infertility, and oxidative stress has been identified as a novel developing factor in idiopathic male infertility. Oxidative stress occurs when antioxidant defense mechanisms are outmatched by the creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of enzymatic antioxidants (catalase and superoxide dismutase; CAT and SOD) on sperm DNA fragmentation and associated sperm alteration in Iraqi males with idiopathic infertility. Materials and Methods: One hundred infertile guys (50 oligozoospermia and 50 asthenozoospermia) and 50 normospermia) had their superoxide dismutase, catalase, and malondialdehyde levels tested. Results: Our study showed that the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of patients who suffered from oligozoospermia and asthenozoospermia was higher than that of individuals who suffered from normozoospermia. Seminal plasma SOD and MDA levels were higher in infertile participants compared to controls (P &lt; 0.001) .The concentration of CAT in the seminal plasma of oligozoospermic and asthenozoospermic men was not significantly different from that of normospermic men. DFI correlated negatively with seminal antioxidant status (SOD, CAT) and MDA, while CAT correlated positively with SOD and MDA. Conclusion: The impacts of oxidative stress include the breakage of DNA in sperm, with lipid peroxidation being the primary cause of idiopathic male infertility. This is associated with less successful fertility outcomes in couples. According to the findings that we obtained, the sperm DNA fragmentation index as well as malondialdehyde are substantially associated with the quality of the sperm.

Expression of concern: “Determinants of fertility and reproductive success after hysteroscopic septoplasty for women with unexplained primary infertility: a prospective analysis of 88 cases” [Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2011 Mar;155(1):54-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.11.015. Epub 2010 Dec 23. PMID: 21185112

This is a note of a temporary expression of concern related to the above-mentioned publication. Following recent issues with the reliability of the data in articles published by some of the authors of this article (See Bordewijk E.M., Wang R., Askie L.M., Gurrin L.C., Thornton J.G., van Wely M., et al. Data integrity of 35 randomised controlled trials in women’ health. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2020; 249: 72-83), the editors decided to open an investigation for this article in the journal. The editors have written to both authors who could not supply original data. The authors have confirmed that they no longer have the raw data as the paper in question was published in 2010. The concern and this note will remain appended to the above-mentioned article, unless the parties provide the editors of European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology with the raw data or other data that validates the results of the paper. Determinants of fertility and reproductive success after hysteroscopic septoplasty for women with unexplained primary infertility: a prospective analysis of 88 casesEuropean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive BiologyVol. 155Issue 1PreviewTo evaluate prospectively the effect of hysteroscopic septoplasty as therapy for unexplained primary infertility in women with uterine septum as a sole cause for reproductive failure and to define the factors influencing reproductive success. Full-Text PDF

‘False hope’ in assisted reproduction: the normative significance of the external outlook and moral negotiation

Despite the frequent invocation of ‘false hope’ and possible related moral concerns in the context of assisted reproduction technologies, a focused ethical and conceptual problematisation of this concept seems to...

Assessing Fertility Awareness in Female Medical Students, Trainees, and Attending Physicians [ID: 1374645

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of female physician infertility is greater in comparison to the general public. In this study, we utilized a validated instrument to assess fertility and infertility knowledge among biologically female medical students, trainees, and attending physicians. METHODS: The validated Fertility &amp; Infertility Treatment Knowledge Score (FIT-KS) instrument was distributed from April 2022 to July 2022 to biologically female medical students, trainees, and attending physicians. Demographics were obtained to assess for differences between groups via contingency table analysis. The IRB found this study exempt. RESULTS: Participants answered 20 of the 29-item FIT-KS instrument correctly. Nine items had a less than 50% correct response rate, four pertained to fertility knowledge, and five pertained to infertility treatment knowledge. Most participants (81.4%) correctly identified the years of peak fertility, but 44.8% overestimated the fecundity of a 30-year-old woman and 36.9% underestimated the chance of miscarriage in peak reproductive years. Most participants (76.6%) underestimated in vitro fertilization (IVF) success for a woman under 35 year old and overestimated IVF success for a woman over 44 year old (56.0%). Obstetrics and gynecology performed significantly better on the FIT-KS instrument overall in comparison with other specialties. No differences in performance were present based on participant age, parity, or position. CONCLUSION: Female medical students and physicians recognize that fecundity decreases with age but overestimate successful pregnancy rates with increasing age. In concordance with low knowledge surrounding infertility treatment success, medical trainees are underequipped to make informed family planning decisions while in medical training.

Effect of Amomum granum paradis medium in sperm parameters activation in Vitro of infertile patients suffering from Asthenospermi

In the present investigation, 165 mock male sperm samples were examined and revived. The study used Amumum extract with three different concentrations to increase the reproductive capacity and activate sperm parameters. After using the culture medium, the concentration in the swimming technique and a concentration of 50mlg\ Lwere demonstrated, with significant increases in the percentage of motile spermatozoa, the degree of sperm activity, and the sperm motility factor, and significant decreases in the spermatozoa concentration, the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa, and the concentration of white blood cells. As a result, the results showed a significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in the percentage of motile sperm, the degree of sperm activity, the coefficient of sperm motility, a significant decrease in the concentration of sperm, and an abnormal percentage. Sperm, after using the culture medium, and concentrated in the swimming technique, and a concentration of 50mlg\ l We conclude from the current study that Amomum granum has a clear role in stimulating sperm transactions and thus has a role in increasing the chances of successful external fertilization operations.

An unknown cause of persistent impaired ovarian function: Long-term mitotane exposure for adrenal cortical carcinoma: Successful fertility management with in vitro maturation of oocytes and late recovery of ovarian function

An unknown cause of persistent impaired ovarian function: Long-term mitotane exposure for adrenal cortical carcinoma: Successful fertility management with in vitro maturation of oocytes and late recovery of ovarian function

A small secreted protein NICOL regulates lumicrine-mediated sperm maturation and male fertility

The mammalian spermatozoa produced in the testis require functional maturation in the epididymis for their full competence. Epididymal sperm maturation is regulated by lumicrine signalling pathways in which testis-derived secreted signals relocate to the epididymis lumen and promote functional differentiation. However, the detailed mechanisms of lumicrine regulation are unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that a small secreted protein, NELL2-interacting cofactor for lumicrine signalling (NICOL), plays a crucial role in lumicrine signalling in mice. NICOL is expressed in male reproductive organs, including the testis, and forms a complex with the testis-secreted protein NELL2, which is transported transluminally from the testis to the epididymis. Males lacking Nicol are sterile due to impaired NELL2-mediated lumicrine signalling, leading to defective epididymal differentiation and deficient sperm maturation but can be restored by NICOL expression in testicular germ cells. Our results demonstrate how lumicrine signalling regulates epididymal function for successful sperm maturation and male fertility.