Spermatozoa For Assisted Reproduction Research Articles

The testicular form of angiotensin converting enzyme as a marker for human sperm quality assessment.

Spermatozoa are rapidly changing cellular structures that are highly dependent on their interaction with the environment. These interactions cause fundamental changes in the spermatozoa's cells and membrane.

Canine epididymal spermatozoa: A hidden treasure with great potential.

The hidden treasure represented by epididymal spermatozoa has great potential in the current reproductive technologies in dogs. In case of azoospermia or when a donor male accidentally dies or undergoes orchiectomy, the retrieval of epididymal spermatozoa opens new possibilities to generate progeny. Spermatozoa can be collected by different techniques from ex vivo or in vivo testicles and can be cryopreserved for a future use. Freeze tolerance of canine epididymal spermatozoa seems lower than that of ejaculated spermatozoa; however, puppies were born after artificial insemination with frozen epididymal semen, other than with fresh and chilled. Even though several aspects need to be further investigated, advances have been recently made in the use of epididymal spermatozoa in assisted reproduction in dogs.

157 Selection of spermatozoa for assisted reproduction involves a hitherto ignored and uncontrolled hypotonic shock that affects basic sperm volume control and sperm motility

157 Selection of spermatozoa for assisted reproduction involves a hitherto ignored and uncontrolled hypotonic shock that affects basic sperm volume control and sperm motility

Sperm cryopreservation before cancer treatment: a 15-year monocentric experience

Sperm banking is an important procedure to preserve fertility before cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyse cryopreservation activity retrospectively for 1080 patients referred to the sperm bank for sperm cryopreservation before cancer treatment. This study included 1007 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer (TC) (41.7%), lymphoma (26%), other haematological cancers (9.4%) or other types of cancer (22.8%); of these, 29 patients did not produce any semen sample and cryopreservation was impossible for 67 patients. Semen characteristics before treatment were within normal ranges, except moderate asthenospermia. Sperm concentration was significantly lower in TC than in non-TC. Straws from 57 patients (6.3%) were used in assisted reproductive technologies, which led to a 46.8% cumulative birth rate. Straws were destroyed for 170 patients (18.7%) and 140 patients performed semen analyses after cancer therapy. After an average delay of 22.5 months after the end of therapy, 43 patients (30.7%) exhibited azoospermia. This study of a large population of cancer patients revealed a high level of successful sperm storage. Utilization of cryopreserved spermatozoa led to good chances of fatherhood. Nevertheless, sperm banks should be aware of the low rates of straw use and straw destruction by cancer patients.Sperm banking is an important procedure to preserve fertility before cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to analyse comprehensive cryopreservation activity. We retrospectively studied 1080 patients referred to the sperm bank for sperm cryopreservation before cancer treatment. We included 1007 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer (TC) (41.7%), lymphoma (26.0%), other haematological cancers (9.4%) or other types of cancer (22.8%). Of these, 29 patients did not produce any semen sample and cryopreservation was impossible for 67 patients. Semen characteristics before treatment were within normal ranges, except moderate decrease in sperm motility. Sperm concentration was significantly lower in TC than in non-TC. Frozen spermatozoa from 57 patients (6.3%) were used in assisted reproductive treatment, which led to a 46.8% cumulative birth rate. Frozen spermatozoa were destroyed for 170 patients (18.7%). A total of 140 patients performed semen analyses after cancer therapy. After an average delay after the end of therapy of 22.5 months, 43 patients (30.7%) exhibited an absence of spermatozoa in the semen. This study of a large population of cancer patients revealed a high level of successful sperm storage. Utilization of cryopreserved spermatozoa in assisted reproduction led to good chances of fatherhood. Nevertheless, sperm banks should be aware of the low rates of frozen sperm use and frozen sperm destruction by cancer patients.

Sperm pathology: a step beyond descriptive morphology. Origin, characterization and fertility potential of abnormal sperm phenotypes in infertile men.

Sperm pathology is presented as the discipline of characterizing structural and functional deficiencies in abnormal spermatozoa. This concept complements that of sperm morphology mainly concerned with the appearance of spermatozoa. These two notions collaborate in providing correlations of prognostic value with sperm fertilizing capacity, explaining the mechanisms of sperm inefficiency, suggesting strategies to improve fertilization and opening a door to molecular genetic studies. Phenotypes of genetic origin involving sperm heads, flagella and the neck region are presented describing their clinical manifestations, sperm structure, cytochemistry and genetic background. When available, animal models are used to highlight possible genetic mechanisms. Sperm pathologies secondary to andrological conditions or environmental factors are described, stressing the non-specific nature of the sperm response to noxious agents. The available literature on the prognostic value of sperm pathologies in ICSI is also reviewed. Flagellar anomalies bear a good prognosis, but those affecting the acrosome, sperm chromatin and the neck region entail an increasing chance of failure, which highlights the differential roles played by specific sperm components in fertilization, implantation and early embryonic development. A final discussion is devoted to genetic counselling and the risks involved in using immotile or abnormal spermatozoa in assisted reproduction.

A clinical study comparing PureSperm and SpermFilter for density gradient separation of human spermatozoa in assisted reproduction

A clinical study comparing PureSperm and SpermFilter for density gradient separation of human spermatozoa in assisted reproduction

Separation of motile human spermatozoa in assisted reproduction: evaluation of centrifugation and non-centrifugation-based techniques

Separation of motile human spermatozoa in assisted reproduction: evaluation of centrifugation and non-centrifugation-based techniques

Fertilization efficiency of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa in assisted reproduction is further impaired by antisperm antibodies on the male partner’s sperm

To investigate the influence of antisperm antibodies on the sperm surface on the outcome of IVF and GIFT. Matched controlled retrospective review of two large series. Reproductive endocrine divisions of two level-three academic centers. Twenty-nine male factor patients (38 IVF cycles) showing positive antisperm antibodies on the sperm by immunobead test treated by IVF at the Norfolk program and 56 similar patients (57 cycles) treated by GIFT at the Tygerberg program. Twenty-nine male factor patients (29 IVF cycles) with negative antisperm antibodies screening matched by wife's stimulation protocol and baseline semen analysis characteristics were used as controls in Norfolk; 56 GIFT patients (56 GIFT cycles) matched similarly were the Tygerberg controls. Study and control groups were divided according to sperm morphology pattern in normal, good, and poor prognosis subgroups for comparison. Fertilization rate of preovulatory oocytes used in IVF in Norfolk and of GIFT supernumerary preovulatory oocytes in Tygerberg; total and term pregnancy rates (PRs) and abortion rates. Fertilization rate was significantly lower in the IVF (41.9% +/- 2.8%) as well as in the GIFT (26.8% +/- 3.8%) (mean +/- SE) study groups than in the respective control groups (73.1% +/- 3.9% and 61.8% +/- 3.9%). Total and term PRs in IVF per cycle (21.1% +/- 6.6%; 13.2% +/- 5.5%) and per transfer (23.5% +/- 7.4%; 14.7% +/- 6.1%), and in GIFT (25.0% +/- 5.8%; 19.6% +/- 5.3%) in the study groups were also lower when compared with their control counterparts (IVF per cycle: 62.1% +/- 6.2% and 41.4% +/- 6.0%; IVF per transfer: 41.9% +/- 2.0% and 27.9% +/- 1.9%; GIFT: 31.6% +/- 6.2% and 28.1% +/- 6.0%), but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Abortion rates were similar in the IVF study group (37.5% +/- 17.1%) and its control groups (39.9% +/- 11.5%). The abortion rate in the GIFT study group was 14.3% +/- 9.4%, and no abortions were recorded in the control group (not significant). The presence of antisperm antibodies on the sperm surface per se impairs the outcome of assisted reproduction, mainly in terms of fertilization rate of preovulatory oocytes, and possibly in terms of total and term PRs. This holds true regardless of the impact of other semen parameters, particularly the morphology of the sperm within the semen sample.