Topic
Semen analysis
About: Semen analysis is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4909 publications have been published within this topic receiving 143225 citations.
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TL;DR: In this article, a review of the state-of-the-art on the semen analysis and recent achievement obtained by means of digital holography is presented, which is intended both for summarizing the current state of the art and for exploring new possible applications in this field.
Abstract: Quantitative phase maps of living swimming spermatozoa.
Male reproductive health in both humans and animals is an important research field in biological study. In order to characterize the morphology, the motility and the concentration of the sperm cells, which are the most important parameters to feature them, digital holography demonstrated to be an attractive technique. Indeed, it is a label-free, non-invasive and high-resolution method that enables the characterization of live specimen. The review is intended both for summarizing the state-of-art on the semen analysis and recent achievement obtained by means of digital holography and for exploring new possible applications of digital holography in this field.
57 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that an occult sperm abnormality presenting as easily decapitated spermatozoa during ICSI could be a cause of unexplained infertility, as it resulted in total failure of fertilization in conventional IVF.
Abstract: We report the first 16 cases of a new sperm abnormality which we call 'easily decapitated spermatozoa defect'. This was discovered during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in couples with unexplained infertility. Semen analysis was normal, but minimal micromanipulation for ICSI resulted in decapitation of the spermatozoon during immobilization. For some oocytes the head and tail were injected separately, in others the intact sperm was injected after minimal immobilization. A fertilization rate of 47.5% was obtained using ICSI. Conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) on sibling oocytes (three cases) or in a previous cycle (three cases) resulted in total failure of fertilization. All patients reached the embryo transfer stage and three pregnancies resulted. Findings on electron microscopy in four cases included spermatozoa with degeneration or absence of the basal plate, abnormalities of the proximal centriole and degeneration of the midpiece with a large cytoplasmic droplet. We conclude that an occult sperm abnormality presenting as easily decapitated spermatozoa during ICSI could be a cause of unexplained infertility, as it resulted in total failure of fertilization in conventional IVF. Further research is necessary to investigate this sperm abnormality.
57 citations
TL;DR: Evaluating sperm parameters and sexual hormones in young males affected with spondyloarthritis before and after 1 year of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α treatment finds anti-TNF-α agents seem to be safe on testicular function and fertility.
57 citations
TL;DR: C. trachomatis infection could be incriminated in apoptosis induction of spermatozoa in infertile couples and may explain the negative direct impact of C.trachomati infection on sperm fertilizing ability.
Abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasmas, and Ureaplasmas in semen samples of the male partners of infertile couples and to investigate whether Chlamydia trachomatis could initiate apoptosis in human spermatozoa. A total of 85 males partners of infertile couples undergoing routine semen analysis according to World Health Organization guidelines were included. Specimens were examined for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum by Real time PCR (qPCR). Semen specimens were analysed for the appearance of apoptotic markers (sperm DNA fragmentation, activated caspase 3 levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm)) using flow cytometry. C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, U. urealyticum, M genitalium were detected in semen samples of 13 (15.2%), 5 (5.8%), 5 (5.8%) and 3 (3.5%) male partners of infertile couples, respectively. M. hominis and U. parvum were detected in semen sample of only one patient (1.1%). The semen of infertile men positive for C. trachomatis showed lower mean of semen count and lower rapid progressive motility (category [a]) of spermatozoa compared to uninfected men with statistically significances (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively). Flow cytometry analyses demonstrated a significant increase of the mean rate of semen with low ΔΨm and caspase 3 activation of infertile men positive for C. trachomatis compared to uninfected men (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respectively). DNA fragmentation was also increased in sperm of infertile men positive for C. trachomatis compared to uninfected men but without statistical significances (p = 0.62). Chlamydial infection was associated to loss of ΔΨm and caspase 3activation. Thus, C. trachomatis infection could be incriminated in apoptosis induction of spermatozoa. These effects may explain the negative direct impact of C. trachomatis infection on sperm fertilizing ability.
57 citations
TL;DR: Sperm parameters improve by 3 months after varicocele repair and then do not improve further, which should allow physicians to decide quickly if varicocelectomy has been effective and, then, if required, plan on the use of other therapies to manage the couples' infertility.
57 citations