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Showing papers in "Archives of Andrology in 1987"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A routine stain used for determining differential count of leucocytes (Diff-Quik stain) was evaluated against the standard Papanicolaou stain, finding no significant differences when comparing the two staining methods.
Abstract: The evaluation of sperm morphology is still an important parameter in the diagnosis of the infertile male. Most techniques used for staining human sperm are very time-consuming. A routine stain used for determining differential count of leucocytes (Diff-Quik stain) was evaluated against the standard Papanicolaou stain. Morphology results from 20 duplicate semen smears using both staining methods were determined separately by 2 technicians using a blind protocol. No significant differences were observed when comparing the two staining methods (paired Student's t-test). The advantages of the Diff-Quik stain are: a) complete staining-to-reading time under 7 min, b) commercially prepared reagents, and c) case of staining procedure.

157 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The sexual functions of 101 patients who had undergone bilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for stage I or II nonseminomatous testicular cancer between 1969 and 1982 are concerns.
Abstract: This study concerns the sexual functions of 101 patients who had undergone bilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for stage I or II nonseminomatous testicular cancer between 1969 and 1982. All patients were without evidence of disease after at least 4 years of follow-up. Antegrade ejaculation was present in 12 patients, while 89 patients experienced "dry ejaculation." Urine collected after intercourse or masturbation from 75 patients with dry ejaculation showed retrograde ejaculation in 55 and lack of ejaculatory emission into the urethra in 20 patients. Regarding other sexual functions, 17 patients had a diminished sexual desire (especially those patients who had received radiotherapy), 12 experienced difficulty reaching organism, and 6 complained of erectile dysfunction. The incidence of a contralateral hydrocele developing after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection seems to correlate with ligation of the contralateral spermatic vessels and their lymphatics. A review of the literature is presented comparing the types of dissection with the incidence of sexual disorders after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Since preserving normal ejaculation and fertility is important, a modified or unilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, when required, is advocated. In patients, with stage I disease the therapy may be limited to an orchiectomy without lymph node dissection. In patients with retroperitoneal lymph node metastases combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and tumor excision gives good results. Patients with true retrograde ejaculation can be treated with alpha-sympathomimetic drugs such as imipramine HCl, and thus be offered the chance of fatherhood by coitus.

39 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It seems that in normal body temperature (37 degrees C) differentiated germ cells such as spermatids and spermatozoa are fragile and the DNA synthesis of sper matogonia and resting primary sperMatocytes is retarded.
Abstract: To study the effect of temperature on human spermatogenesis, both the number and DNA synthesis of germ cells were investigated in tissue fragments of human testes cultured for 22 h at 31 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The number of differentiated germ cells such as spermatids and spermatozoa cultured at 37 degrees C was significantly smaller than that cultured at 31 degrees C. The number of spermatogonia and resting primary spermatocytes was not significantly different between these two temperatures, but the functional ability of DNA synthesis in these cells was significantly lower at 37 degrees C than at 31 degrees C. It seems that in normal body temperature (37 degrees C) differentiated germ cells such as spermatids and spermatozoa are fragile and the DNA synthesis of spermatogonia and resting primary spermatocytes is retarded.

38 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In most specimens sperm motility was improved by more than 80% regardless of the original motility, and the fertility index (sperm concentration/ml x percentage of motility x 10(-8)).
Abstract: To increase the fertilizability of sperm for use in artificial insemination with husband's semen, it is effective to concentrate progressively motile sperm from whole ejaculated semen. The simple procedure, a continuous-step density gradient technique, was developed to selectively concentrate progressively motile sperm. The ejaculated semen was placed on 6.0 ml of 80% Percoll solution, and the density gradient was formed by mixing the semen and Percoll with an L-shaped rod for two or three strokes. After centrifugation at 400 x g for 30 min, progressively motile sperm were concentrated in the sediment, whereas the immotile sperm and other types of cells remained in the upper part of the density gradient. In most specimens sperm motility was improved by more than 80% regardless of the original motility. Thus, the fertility index (sperm concentration/ml x percentage of motility x 10(-8)). was increased to 7.7 +/- 3.7 times (n = 15).

36 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The prostate contains two types of growth factors capable of stimulating DNA synthesis in BALB/3T3 cells, which are divided into low affinity (LoA) and high affinity (HiA) type by a different affinity for heparin-Sepharose.
Abstract: Certain local tissue factors, such as growth factor, in addition to androgens, are involved in the prostate growth. The prostate contains two types of growth factors capable of stimulating DNA synthesis in BALB/3T3 cells. They were divided into low affinity (LoA) type and high affinity (HiA) type by a different affinity for heparin-Sepharose. HiA-type growth factor is further classified into acidic HiA and basic HiA types. Acidic HiA type could be purified from the Dunning tumor (R 3327), a rat prostatic adenocarcinoma, and has a molecular weight of about 19,000 and a pI of about 3.8. Basic HiA type could be isolated from the tissues of human benign prostatic hypertrophy and has a molecular weight of about 12,000 and a pI of about 10.5. They are inactivated by heat and acid treatments. Acidic HiA type appears to be involved in growth of the rat prostate epithelium, and LoA type growth factor is possibly relevant to reproductive physiology because of its coexistence with “probasin” a major secretory protei...

34 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that after ejaculation the apparent density of human sperm became lower, concomitant with the loss of motility.
Abstract: The quality of ejaculated human sperm was examined for 24 h at room temperature by Percoll continuous density gradient centrifugation. One hour after ejaculation, apparent densities of good motile sperm with normal morphology were above 1.10 g/ml, whereas those of immotile and/or immature sperm recovered from upper layers were 1.06-1.09 g/ml. As time passed, sperm became immotile and the number of sperm with higher densities was diminished, their density shifting to 1.06-1.09 g/ml. Morphological observations by transmission electron microscope showed that after 24 h the sperm with higher densities were morphologically normal, except that the plasma membrane and the outer acrosomal membrane were lost. On the other hand, the sperm with lower densities were abnormal, such as immature, without the outer and the inner acrosomal membrane, with the nuclear decondensation, and with membraneous structure in the nucleus. These results suggest that after ejaculation the apparent density of human sperm became lower, concomitant with the loss of motility.

27 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The onset of testosterone production occurs without extrinsic stimulatory factors; (b) dcAMP initiates an early steroidogenesis; (c) the onset of functional receptors is likely free of the androgenic environment.
Abstract: The present study was performed to investigate in vitro the onset of steroidogenesis and the responsiveness to LH in rat fetal testes. The male gonads explanted on days 12.5, 13.5, and 14.5 of gestation in M199 produced testosterone from 15.5 days as is the case in vivo dcAMP (1 mM) induced an anticipated steroidogenesis on day 14.5 with secretions of testosterone (0.026 +/- 0.003 ng/gonad/24 h) and progesterone (0.078 +/- 0.005 ng/gonad/24 h), whereas LH (100 ng/ml) has no effect. Antiandrogens such as aminoglutethimide (2 mM), cyproterone acetate (1 microgram/ml), and hydroxyflutamide (1 microgram/ml) could not delay the responsiveness to LH on day 15.5. An anticipated production of testosterone on day 14.5 in presence of DHA (200 ng/ml) could not induce functional LH receptors. It would appear that: (a) the onset of testosterone production occurs without extrinsic stimulatory factors; (b) dcAMP initiates an early steroidogenesis; (c) the onset of functional receptors is likely free of the androgenic environment.

23 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A monoclonal antibody interacting with human sperm was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 and two interacting proteins, estimated Mr of 60 and 72 kD, were identified.
Abstract: A monoclonal antibody (MAB) interacting with human sperm was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The MAB designated as YWK-II belongs to the IgM class and is composed of μ heavy chains and κ light chains. The MAB localized to the equatorial region of the sperm head, midpiece, and tail. The sperm antigen interacting with the YWK-II MAB was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B conjugated with YWK-II antibodies. Two interacting proteins, estimated Mr of 60 and 72 kD, were identified.

22 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An improvement of seminalysis was observed following long term administration of 600 U/day of hog kallikrein in the male infertile patients and the results of column chromatography suggested that kallIKrein combined with the other substances to form a high molecular compound in the semen.
Abstract: Male genital organs were stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method to know the location of kallikrein. Sertoli cells of the testis, epithelial cells that existed from the body to the tail of the epididymis, and glandular cells of the prostate were specifically stained showing that kallikrein was produced in these cells. The concentration of kallikrein in the semen specimens mainly from patients with male sterility and from those who were subjected to vasoligation and in the prostatic fluid specimens from normal controls were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results of column chro-matography suggested that kallikrein combined with the other substances to form a high molecular compound in the semen. The kallikrein level in the semen from the normal control was 40.4 ± 21.3 ng/ml, which was more than 10 times that in the blood. The value tended to increase with the decrease of the number of spermatozoa. The kailikrein level in the semen from patients with azoospermia was 74.2 ± 23.5 ng/ml, ...

18 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Since lactate/pyruvate are important energy substrates for germ cells, the changes of LDH activity and isozyme patterns of maturing Sertoli cells support their nutritional role in the seminiferous epithelium.
Abstract: Lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) and malate-dehydrogenase (MDH) activities and isozyme patterns of maturing Sertoli cells were investigated in cultured cells obtained from 2-5-week-old rats. Both enzymes, and more strikingly LDH, increased between 2 and 3 weeks of age. LDH isozyme complement included all five isozymes and, in the more mature rats, had a shift toward the isoforms rich in subunit. These data are consistent with an increasing production of lactate/pyruvate and with a finer regulation of this production occurring during the maturing of Sertoli cells. Since lactate/pyruvate are important energy substrates for germ cells, the changes of LDH activity and isozyme patterns of maturing Sertoli cells support their nutritional role in the seminiferous epithelium.

17 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A simple procedure that uses a column of glass beads to separate spermatozoa from poor quality semen is described, which has significantly better progressive motility and viability and also have enhanced fertilizing capacity.
Abstract: Fertilizing ability of semen requires the presence of viable and motile spermatozoa whose surface-membrane integrity is maintained. Male infertility is often the result of these variables being suboptimal. Various in vitro methods have been reported that separate good-quality spermatozoa from such ejaculates. In this study we describe a simple procedure that uses a column of glass beads to separate spermatozoa from poor quality semen. The filtered spermatozoa have significantly better progressive motility and viability and also have enhanced fertilizing capacity. Such a method may have clinical use for semen preparation prior to intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization. It may also have a role in the assessment of semen to determine fertilization potential and hence provide prognostic information to infertile couples.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A significant relationship was observed between the BCMPT and pregnancy problems not apparent by semen analysis data, and may prove to be a useful adjunct to the use of routine semen analysis in evaluating male fertility.
Abstract: One hundred seventy-eight ejaculates obtained from infertility patients were evaluated by routine semen analysis and by a bovine cervical mucus penetration test (BCMPT). A significant correlation (p 20 × 106/ml). Of these patients, 68% had good (>30 mm), 26% had questional (21–30 mm), and 7% had abnormal ( 40%). Of these patients, 71% had good, 25% had questionable, and 4% had abnormal penetration values. Conversly, 46% and 18% of patients with abnormal sperm count and motility, respectively, had normal penetration values (>30 mm). A significant relationship (p < 0.05) was observed between the BCMPT and pregnancy problems not apparent by semen analysis data, and may prove to be a useful adjunct to the use of routine semen analy...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data suggest that rAP-II influences the testicular steroidogenesis by a receptorial mechanism; the biphasic effect of r AP-II on the testosterone production may be related to an acute receptorial desensitization phenomena.
Abstract: Atrial natriuretic factors (ANF) may influence testicular steroidogenesis. This study was conducted to evaluate the presence of specific ANF-binding on isolated adult rat Leydig cells and the effects of ANF on testosterone production. Indirect immunofluorescence technique demonstrates that adult rat Leydig cells possess specific ANF-binding and that rAP-II strongly stimulates the testosterone production. rAP-II exerts its maximal stimulatory effect on the testosterone secretion at low doses (10−11 M), corresponding at the physiological plasmatic concentration in the adult normal rat. High doses (10−9 -10−7 M) of rAP-II show a decline in the stimulatory effect on testosterone secretion. Our data suggest that rAP-II influences the testicular steroidogenesis by a receptorial mechanism; the biphasic effect of rAP-II on the testosterone production may be related to an acute receptorial desensitization phenomena.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that the stimulating effects of CEF and of the other fluids and proteins are due to substrates, at least some of which are present as or associated with macromolecules.
Abstract: Cauda epididymal fluid (CEF) greatly stimulated the oxygen uptake of washed ejaculated ram spermatozoa; the effect was evident within 1 h and persisted over the 8 h of the experiment. The stimulus ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Rabbits immunized with fertile men's sperm extract and seminal plasma had significantly elevated postimmunization hemagglutinating but not cytotoxic sperm antibodies and reproduced normally.
Abstract: Adult male rabbits were immunized with normal saline (controls), sperm extracts from 2 autoimmune men, seminal plasmas from the same autoimmune men, sperm extract from a fertile nonautoimmune man, and seminal plasma from the same fertile nonautoimmune man. All the sperm donors were free from infections. Rabbits immunized with fertile men's sperm extract and seminal plasma had significantly elevated postimmunization hemagglutinating but not cytotoxic sperm antibodies and reproduced normally. Rabbits immunized with autoimmune men's sperm and seminal plasma antigens developed high titers of cytotoxic and hemagglutinating sperm antibodies in their serum and seminal plasma and their reproduction was markedly reduced. Their sera and seminal plasma reduced motility of sperm from a normal donor. The immune responses were confirmed by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. This technique revealed membrane-bound endogenous IgG on sperm from only those rabbits immunized with sperm extracts from autoimmune men. These antisera reacted against a protein in the 58,000 D range; antisera to fertile man's sperm extract reacted against three proteins with molecular weights of 15,000, 18,400, 25,000, and 44,000 D, as judged by Western blot. Rabbit antisera to seminal plasma from autoimmune men reacted against several proteins; additionally, it detected two proteins with 43,000 and 68,000 molecular weight detected by antiserum to fertile man's seminal plasma. Sperm and seminal plasma antigens from autoimmune men are different in their elicited immunogenic responses from those of fertile nonautoimmune men. These responses are relevant to infertility.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The study revealed that liquefaction time-based fractionation of the whole ejaculate seems to give an idea about the origin of some seminal components like split ejaculation technique.
Abstract: Variations in the coagulation-liquefaction property of human seminal coagula have rarely been correlated to their ingredients. A number of seminal components were evaluated in relation to the degree of coagulation and the liquefaction time of human ejaculates. Correlation analyses suggested that the vesicular coagulatory activity can better be assessed by the phosphate level rather than the fructose and N-acetylamino sugar levels. The results showed that the fresh ejaculates with a smaller amount of coagulum possess significantly higher prostatic but lower vesicular activities in comparison with that of the better coagulating samples. The study also revealed that liquefaction time-based fractionation of the whole ejaculate seems to give an idea about the origin of some seminal components like split ejaculation technique. It was concluded that the material characteristics of human ejaculate can be approximated simply by determining its degree of coagulation or liquefaction time.

Journal ArticleDOI
H. Pedersen1
TL;DR: Semen samples from two infertile men showed normal numbers of cells, but the majority of the spermatozoa were abnormal in shape and had very poor motility, suggesting certain infections and exposure to various toxic substances can result in such changes.
Abstract: Semen samples from two infertile men showed normal numbers of cells, but the majority of the spermatozoa were abnormal in shape and had very poor motility. The majority of the spermatozoa showed red fluorescence when stained with acridine orange, indicating the presence of single-stranded DNA. At the ultrastructural level the chromatin was decondensed to various degrees. The acrosomes were either lacking or highly abnormal in appearance. Abnormal tail elements were liberally scattered all over in the abnormal cells. Based on these findings and previous reports, it is suggested that certain infections and exposure to various toxic substances can result in such changes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Inhibin can modulate the conversion of testosterone to 5 alpha-DHT in the rat ventral prostate, and therefore can autocrine-paracrine function can be attributed to the prostate.
Abstract: Conversion of radiolabeled testosterone to 5 α-dihydrotestosterone (5 α-DHT) was determined in the rat ventral prostate in vitro, and the effect of inhibin on this conversion was demonstrated. The data revealed that the reduction of testosterone to 5 α-DHT was inhibited in a dose-related manner in the presence of inhibin as compared with the basal reduction. The percentage of testosterone reduced per 10-mg tissue also showed a similar trend. The ratio of radioactive counts for DHT and testosterone was also minimum at the highest does of inhibin used. Inhibin can thus modulate the conversion of testosterone to 5 α-DHT in the rat ventral prostate, and therefore can autocrine-paracrine function can be attributed to the prostate.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Penetration of human sperm into a underlaying Percoll layer is very effective in isolating forward motile sperm and measurement of residual lactate dehydrogenase activity suggested that seminal plasma was excluded almost completely from the purified sperm fraction.
Abstract: Penetration of human sperm into a underlaying Percoll layer is very effective in isolating forward motile sperm. A plastic funnel, the bottom of which having been plugged with a 1.0-ml disposable syringe, was used as a separation vessel. Ejaculated semen (2.0 ml) was loaded on 2.0 ml of 80% Percoll; after allowing to stand 60 min, forward motile sperm penetrating into the lower part of Percoll layer (1.0 ml) were collected into the syringe. Sperm motility was enhanced to 91.5% +/- 3.3% regardless of the original motility (48.4% +/- 14.6%) with a mean recovery of 34.1% +/- 6.8% (n = 22). Measurement of residual lactate dehydrogenase activity suggested that seminal plasma was excluded almost completely from the purified sperm fraction.

Journal ArticleDOI
A. Lischka1
TL;DR: A "transitory" course of an androgen insensitivity in this particular patient is postulate, as the receptor and A5R data seem to indicate a "catch-up" growth, i.e., normalization of the external genitalia.
Abstract: Androgen receptor analyses of foreskin homogenate from a boy with congenital growth hormone deficiency revealed at age 1 and 3 years a decreased number of cytosolic binding sites for testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), compared with controls of similar age. Nuclear T receptor was not detectable at age 1 but showed abnormal high-binding capacity at age 3 years. Nuclear DHT receptor was within normal limits at both age 1 and 3 years. Receptor affinities were normal. Maximum reaction velocity of tissue-specific androgen 5 alpha-reductase A5R was decreased at age 1 year but within the normal range at age 3 years. Stretched penile length was below the third percentile at age 1 and increased to a 25th percentile at age 3 years, respectively. As the receptor and A5R data seem to indicate a "catch-up" growth, i.e., normalization of the external genitalia, we therefore postulate a "transitory" course of an androgen insensitivity in this particular patient.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that protection of rat spermatogenesis from single doses of gamma-rays cannot be achieved by androgen pretreatment, and the use of arachis oil or testosterone enanthate as pretreatment is recommended.
Abstract: Spermatogenic stem-cell survival after gamma-irradiation has been investigated in the adult Wistar rat. Single doses of 4.5 and 9 Gy gamma-rays were administered to the testes of rats who received arachis oil (0.1 ml/100 g body weight) or testosterone enanthate (240 micrograms/100 g body weight) subcutaneously three times weekly for 6 weeks prior to radiation and during the week in which the radiations were given. A mean percentage of regenerating seminiferous tubule cross-sections of 32.45% and 7.26% was found in the testes of androgen-pretreated rats at 8 weeks after 4.5 and 9 Gy, respectively. Similar values (33.4% and 6.2%) were obtained in arachis oil-pretreated controls. We therefore conclude that protection of rat spermatogenesis from single doses of gamma-rays cannot be achieved by androgen pretreatment.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The ionophore-induced calcium and oxygen uptake of cauda and caput epididymal boar sperm also increased with increased pH, but the effect commenced at a lower pH.
Abstract: Calcium accumulation by ram sperm in the presence of 3.0 μM ionophore A23187 increased greatly when the pH of the medium was raised from 7.5 to 8.5. The increase in calcium uptake was remarkable between pH 7.5 and 8.0 and was paralleled by increased oxygen consumption. There was extensive vesiculation of the plasma membrane and membranes of the acrosome and postnuclear cap of ram sperm incubated with the ionophore and calcium at pH 8.0. The mitochondria of the midpiece contained pale and expanded cristae similar to ATP-deprived mitochondria in the “condensed” configuration. Such changes were not observed in ram sperm incubated under similar conditions at pH 7.0. The ionophore-induced calcium and oxygen uptake of cauda and caput epididymal boar sperm also increased with increased pH, but the effect commenced at a lower pH. Control cauda epididymal boar sperm (i.e., without ionophore) had higher oxygen uptake, glucose breakdown, and lactic acid production than caput sperm. The influence of pH on the operati...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results did not point to either histological alterations in the contralateral testis or impairment of fertility in any group of treatment compared with the control.
Abstract: The effect of unilateral testicular torsion on the contralateral testis and the fertility rate was studied in Charles River adult rats. Animals were divided into groups that underwent a sham operation or torsion and ligation of the left testicular vessels followed by orchiectomy after 24 h, orchiectomy after 48 h, release of the ligature after 24 h, release of the ligature after 48 h, and no further treatment following ligation. Another group of animals underwent unilateral orchiectomy. After 8 weeks animals were allowed to mate and were sacrificed 2 weeks later. The results did not point to either histological alterations in the contralateral testis or impairment of fertility in any group of treatment compared with the control.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The sialic acid content in purified sperm was approximately 40% of that in the washed sperm, suggesting that biochemical properties of human sperm should be re evaluated using the inner column purification procedure.
Abstract: Sialic acid levels of human sperm were estimated using newly developed sperm purification procedure (inner column method). This was used to estimate net sialic acid content of forward motile sperm of normal morphology without any contamination of the seminal plasma, other cellular components, and immature or abnormal sperm. The sialic acid content in purified sperm was approximately 40% of that in the washed (dilution-washing method) sperm. It is suggested that biochemical properties of human sperm should be reevaluated using the inner column purification procedure.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The ability of androgen pretreatment in adult Wistar rats to protect the spermatogonial stem cells from one or two doses of the cytotoxic procarbazine (PCB) was investigated and androgen-pretreated rats given a single dose of 200 mg/kg PCB demonstrated 86% tubule regeneration.
Abstract: The ability of androgen pretreatment in adult Wistar rats to protect the spermatogonial stem cells from one or two doses of the cytotoxic procarbazine (PCB) was investigated. Survival of stem cells was assessed by a tubule regeneration assay. Ten weeks' pretreatment of the rats with 200 mm2 silastic implants containing testosterone resulted in significant protection of the spermatogonial stem cells from PCB-induced damage. Androgen-pretreated rats given a single dose of 200 mg/kg PCB demonstrated 86% tubule regeneration as opposed to 41% in rats pretreated with cholesterol. Similar values were obtained when the PCB dose was given as two weekly fractions of 100 mg/kg. The protective effect of androgen is present from the time of the initial challenge with the cytotoxic drug.

Journal ArticleDOI
F. R. Vogelpoel1, E.R. te Velde1, E. Scheenjes1, R. van Kooy1, J Kremer1, J. Verhoef1 
TL;DR: The lack of immunological reaction of women to viable spermatozoa and a possible mechanism for immunological infertility is considered.
Abstract: Antibody and complement fixation by viable and nonviable spermatozoa were studied by means of immunofluorescence and a hemolytic assay (CH-50). Spermatozoa were incubated in sera from fertile male and female donors and in peritoneal fluid from fertile women undergoing laparoscopy. Nonviable spermatozoa were able to bind antibody or complement from sera and peritoneal fluid. There was no evidence of antibody or complement fixation by viable spermatozoa. The antibodies present in the serum that bind to spermatozoa belong to the IgG and IgM class; in peritoneal fluid, only IgG could be found. Complement fixation occurred via the classical (antibody-mediated) and alternative pathway. Viable spermatozoa possess antigenic properties different from nonviable spermatozoa. The lack of immunological reaction of women to viable spermatozoa and a possible mechanism for immunological infertility is considered.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Comparison of semen characteristics in the same group between patients who have impregnated their wives and those who have not indicated that with respect to count, motility, morphology, and ATP the only sperm characteristic independently predicting fertility was motility.
Abstract: Five semen characteristics (count, motility, normal forms, bovine cervical mucus penetration, and ATP) were evaluated in patients attending the infertility clinic. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the only characteristic independently affecting ATP concentration was sperm count, whereas motility and percent normal forms had no additional contribution to ATP level. Penetration into bovine cervical mucus did not depend on ATP levels. Comparison of semen characteristics in the same group between patients who have impregnated their wives and those who have not indicated that with respect to count, motility, morphology, and ATP the only sperm characteristic independently predicting fertility was motility. ATP measurements have limited value in the evaluation of semen quality.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Superior mouse embryo development from two-cells to morulae and hollow blastocysts occurred in H&P, Ham's F-10 + 15% hFCS, and DMEM.
Abstract: A total of 2070 two-cell mouse embryos were recovered from 89 superovulated female hybrid mice. Six different culture media were tested. The various media supported mouse embryo development as follows (percentage mean ± SD, n - 10): Hopp and Pitts medium (HP Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% (volume/volume, v/v) fetal bovine serum (DMEM) 80 ± 4; Ham's F-10 ± 15.0% (v/v) human fetal cord serum (hFCS) 79 ± 3; Whittingham's T-6 medium (WT-6) 60 ± 4; Ham's F-10 ± 7.5% (v/v) hFCS 55 ± 5; Krebs-Ringer low bicarbonate buffer (KRLBB) 42 ± 6. In H&P, DMEM, WT-6, and Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with hFCS, the pH was maintained within a narrow range of 7.30–7.45 and adequate level of oxygenation was achieved during 72 h in culture. KRLBB had poor buffering capacity and attained ineffective levels of oxygenation during culture. Superior mouse embryo development from two-cells to morulae and hollow blastocysts occurred in H&P, Ham's F-10 + 15% hFCS, and DMEM. Ham's F-10 medium suppl...

Journal ArticleDOI
A Y Michael1, J O Drejer1, P V Bagger1, G U Detlefsen1, G Stakemann1 
TL;DR: A method combining Janus green B and Thymol blue stains the anterior part of the head, the nuclear membrane, middle piece, and tail of spermatozoa light green and the nucleus deep purple, which produces significantly less abnormal spermutozoa compared with the Papanicolaou stain.
Abstract: A method combining Janus green B and Thymol blue stains the anterior part of the head, the nuclear membrane, middle piece, and tail of spermatozoa light green and the nucleus deep purple. The method provides excellent stained preparations for the evaluation of sperm morphology by phase contrast microscopy. It produces significantly less abnormal spermatozoa compared with the Papanicolau stain.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There was no direct correlation between motility percentage, forward progression, viability percentage, and ATP levels (when expressed per 1 million spermatozoa) in the general population, and this finding was not unexpected since other factors, such as defects of the microtubules and viscosity of the semen, could affect the motility in some patients.
Abstract: ATP levels in human spermatozoa have been positively correlated with good motility. This has given rise to the impression that good ATP levels per se are related to good motility, i.e., the higher the ATP level, the better the motility and fertilizing potential. There was no direct correlation between motility percentage, forward progression, viability percentage, and ATP levels (when expressed per 1 million spermatozoa) in the general population. This finding was not unexpected since other factors, such as defects of the microtubules and viscosity of the semen, could affect the motility in some patients. However, when semen from individual patients was assessed, the motility percent, viability, and ATP concentration decreased by comparable levels over a 4-h period postejaculation. Semen samples with normal counts of spermatozoa (<20 × 106/ml) had higher levels of ATP than samples from patients with oligozoospermia. Spermatozoa from patients whose semen contained <0.60 × 10−2 nmol ATP/1 million spermatozo...