Showing papers on "Sperm motility published in 1972"

Comparative analysis of mammalian sperm motility

Abstract: Spermatozoa of several mammalian species were studied by means of high-speed cinematography and electron microscopy. Three types of motile patterns were observed in mouse spermatozoa. The first type involved an asymmetrical beat which seemed to propel the sperm in circular paths. The second type involved rotation of the sperm and appeared to allow them to maintain straight paths. In the third type of pattern, the sperm appeared to move by crawling on surfaces in a snakelike manner. Spermatozoa of rabbit and Chinese hamster also had an asymmetrical beat which sometimes caused them to swim in circles. In spite of the asymmetry of the beat, these spermatozoa were also able to swim in straight paths by rotating around a central axis as they swam. Spermatozoa of some species appeared very flexible; their flagella formed arcs with a very small radius of curvature as they beat. Spermatozoa of other species appeared very stiff, and their flagella formed arcs with a very large radius of curvature. The stiffness of the spermatozoan appeared to correlate positively with the cross-sectional area of the dense fibers. This suggests that the dense fibers may be stiff elastic elements. Opossum sperm become paired as they pass through the epididymis. Pairs of opossum spermatozoa beat in a coordinated, alternating manner.

Quantitative Evaluation of Sperm Motility Control Mechanisms

Abstract: The effect of a variety of agents upon the swimming speed of sea urchin spermatozoa was tested. Some of the substances were those which influence membrane transport and transmission in excitable systems. The spermatozoa react intensely to small increases in environmental potassium; increasing potassium from 10 to 15 meq/liter slows the sperm by 30% while doubling the amount by addition of an equimolar amount of potassium chloride to the sea water medium reduces motility nearly 50%. Most of the other agents tested exerted a biphasic effect on swimming speed. While higher concentrations slowed the sperm lower concentratio ns speeded up descent to the bottom of the tube. 1 mM eserine sulfate a competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase depressed motility about 40% while 1 mcgM accelerated it nearly 40% above control rate and 100 nM caused only about a 10% increase. Strong positively-charged quaternary ammonium compounds (tetraethylammonium neostigmine and acetylcholine) had little affect on swim rate presumably because of their inability to penetrate the sperm plasma membrane. Ouabain and eserine sulfate evoked a dose-dependent response. Sea urchin spermatozoa respond with extreme sensitivity to relatively small changes in external potassium but the spermatozoa are somewhat less affect in other species. Mytilus spermatozoa reportedly manifested no visible change in swimming behavior in the presence of various potassium levels. Arbacia (sea urchin) sperm motility determined by the change in optical density of centrifugally oriented suspensions averaged 187 mcm/second.

Effect of human follicular and tubal fluids on human, mouse and rat spermatozoa in vitro.

Abstract: Human follicular and tubal fluids, as well as mixtures of the two, were tested on the acrosome staining reaction of human, rat and mouse spermatozoa. In all three species, heat-inactivated follicular fluid (56 °C for 30 min) enhanced sperm motility, whereas non-inactivated fluid immobilized the sperm. Spermatozoa obtained from the epididymis of rats and mice, and that derived from human ejaculates had striking acrosome staining reaction (acrosome-blue; nucleus-red), whereas, after treatment with human follicular or tubal fluids, the acrosome staining reaction was lost. In the mouse, a correlation was found between the loss of acrosome staining reaction and the rate of in vitro fertilization and subsequent development of blastocysts. These data suggest that (a) factor(s) for sperm capacitation are present in human follicular and tubal fluids, (b) heat inactivation eliminates toxicity of follicular fluid and (c) the capacitation factor does not appear to be species specific.

Fertility control by continuous administration of d-Norgestrel, 0.03 mg.

Abstract: D-norgestrel was administered daily at a dose of .03 mg without estrogen in order to establish its contraceptive efficiency tolerance and acceptability. The series consisted of 642 16-43 year old healthy fertile women. They had had 1-19 pregnancies each mean number 4.9. Treatments started on the 1st-4th day of their cycles; in postpartum cases within 5 weeks after delivery. Clinical examinations were made every month and cytological examinations every 6 months. In 269 cases duration of treatment was less than 6 months; in 231 cases 6-12 months; in 78 cases 13-18 months; and in 65 cases 19-24 months. In 4 cases daily plasma luteinizing hormone was determined by radioimmunoassay during 1 complete menstrual cycle while taking treatment. Ovarian biopsies were done on 5 patients on Days 19-24 of the cycles. Urinary pregnanediol was measured by thin-layer chromatography in 32 patients for 4 individual cycles with daily determinations. Endometrial biopsies were taken in 26 patients. In 100 patients the karyopyknotic index of the colpocytogram and the spinnbarkeit and ferning of the cervical mucus were determined on Days 11-16 of the cycles. Sperm penetration of cervical mucus in vitro was tested in 50 cases. Intracervical and intrauterine sperm recovery were made in vivo in 50 patients at 4-10 hours after coitus on Days 11-16 of the cycles and sperm counted. During the study 19 unwanted pregnancies occurred. This was a failure rate of 3.99/100 woman-years. Of these 14 were patient failures and 5 were method failures. The failure rate for correct therapy was 1.05/100 woman-years. There were 425 instances of breakthrough bleeding occurring in 33% of cycles and 276 episodes of spotting in 25% of cycles. The incidence of normal cycles tended to increase with length of treatment. A total of 345 (53.6%) of the patients withdrew from treatment mostly because of side effects. There were no thromboembolic accidnets liver disturbances or carcinoma. Curves representing plasma luteinizing hormone levels varied from normal Ovarian biopsies showed fresh corpora lutea in 3 of 5 cases examined. Urinary pregnanediol values decreased compared with controls (p less than .0001). The karyopyknotic index of vaginal cytology was slightly depressed and cervical mucus ferning was diminished during therapy. Sperm penetration of cervi cal mucus observed in vitro was diminished compared with controls and stopped at 5 cm. Sperm motility was unaffected. Intracervical and intrauterine sperm recovery showed fewer sperm at the cervical level and almost none at the intrafundus level. Ovulation appeared to be maintained in most patients. Daily doses of .03 mg of d-norgestrel are considered to provide an acceptable and efficient oral contraceptive. Interference with sperm migration through the cervical mucus is thought to be the primary action of this drug.

Cytogenetic basis of chemically-induced sterility in Culex pipiens Fatigans Wiedemann. II. Cytopathological effects of certain chemosterilants on the gonadal and embryonic tissues.

Abstract: Effects of chemosterilants, such as apholate, metepa, tepa and hempa, on the reproductive tissues of Culex pipens fatigans Wied, were studied. In males, the chemosterilant treatments reduced the size of testes at gross level, and caused deficiency of immature sex cells and mature sperm though sperm production continued at a slower rate. Males sterilized by apholate or tepa depleted their sperm earlier than normal males when allowed to mate successively with a fresh batch of virgin females. The sterilant treatments did not affect sperm motility. In adult females, treated ovaries were smaller with fewer number of normally developing follicles and many small, deformed or degenerating follicles. With chemosterilant treatments the number of normally developing follicles decreased in successive gonotrophic cycles. Infertility induced by various chemosterilants in females was found to be permanent. The frequency of non-viable eggs bearing full-grown embryos was more in treated females crossed with normal males than in normal females crossed with treated males. Embryos showed various chromosomal aberrations in early cleavages which inhibited the rate of cell division. Most of these embryos died even before the blastoderm stage. The bearing of the present findings on the mechanism of chemosterilant-induced sterility is discussed.