Artificially selected human sperm morphology after swim-up processing

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (10) ◽  
pp. 1207-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Vladić ◽  
Erik Petersson
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Cell ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cell Components ◽  
Sperm Midpiece ◽  
Assisted Fertilization

The swim-up technique is a clinical practice used to select highly motile sperm cells from patient ejaculates to use in assisted fertilization. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the length of different sperm-cell components is related to gamete function. Thus, we explored whether swim-up technique selects for longer sperm cells than mean sperm cells from unprocessed ejaculates. Sperm midpiece, tail endpiece, and total length were measured before and after the swim-up selection by means of contrast-phase and electron microscopy. Correlations between sperm dimensions, sperm motility, and sperm concentration were also investigated. Swim-up selected cells with longer midpiece compared with the unprocessed fractions (5.8 μm (CI 5.52–6.16 μm) vs. 5.3 μm (CI 4.97–5.61 μm), p < 0.05) and shorter tail endpiece (7.8 μm (CI 7.11–8.44 μm) vs. 8.5 μm (CI 7.81–9.14 μm), p < 0.05 after meta-analysis), whereas no effect of swim-up selection was detected on the total sperm cell length. Individuals producing high sperm concentrations had longer sperm midpiece than had men producing lower sperm concentrations. It is concluded that short sperm flagellar tips with long midpieces may be used as biomarkers in infertility therapy.

scholarly journals Expression and function of ras proto-oncogene proteins in human sperm cells

1992 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 487-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.K. Naz ◽  
K. Ahmad ◽  
P. Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Cell ◽  
Acrosome Reaction ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Beat Frequency ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Ras Protein ◽  
Head Displacement ◽  
Sperm Penetration ◽  
And Function

The presence and role of c-ras proteins were investigated in mature human sperm cells. The v-H-ras monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the c-ras protein, p21, reacted specifically with the acrosomal region of methanol-fixed as well as unfixed-live capacitated and non-capacitated human sperm cell in the indirect immunofluorescence technique. The v-H-ras mAb predominantly recognized c-ras protein of 21 kDa on the Western blot of lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS)-solubilized human sperm preparation. The incubation of sperm cells with v-H-ras mAb affected the sperm cell function in the human sperm penetration assay. The antibody significantly reduced the acrosome reaction and release of acrosin activity from the sperm cells. There was no effect of the mAb on percentage motility, although the mAb significantly affected various motility characteristics such as linearity, amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) and beat frequency, the motility parameters involved in the hyperactivation phenomenon of sperm cells leading to capacitation and acrosome reaction. These results suggest that the c-ras or c-ras-like proteins are present in mature sperm cell and may have a role in capacitation and/or acrosome reaction of human sperm cell.

scholarly journals Secular variations in sperm quality: fact or science fiction?

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Multigner ◽  
Alejandro Oliva
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Homogeneous Groups ◽  
Secular Variations

The debate concerning the possible degradation in human sperm quality began in the 1970s, was revived at the beginning of the 1990s and has continued to mobilize the scientific community ever since. After the meta-analysis by Carlsen et al. (1992) showing a decline in human semen quality over the last 50 years, several groups investigated the sperm characteristics of more or less homogeneous groups of men who had provided semen at the same center for 10 to 20 years. A significant decrease in sperm concentration was reported in some studies, but not in others. Meanwhile, there is an increasing number of reports suggesting that physical and chemical factors introduced and spread by human activity in the environment may have contributed to sperm decline. At the end of the 20th century the debate on declining semen quality is not closed. The lack of certainty and the serious consequences that such a decline would have on the fertility of human populations make this an important public health issue at the start of the 21st century. For this reason, intensive research should be developed in both fundamental and epidemiological domains, particularly in South America, where industrial and agricultural pollution pose a serious threat to the population.

The employment of IVF techniques for establishment of sodium, copper and selenium impact upon human sperm quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urszula Marzec-Wróblewska ◽  
Piotr Kamiński ◽  
Paweł Łakota ◽  
Marek Szymański ◽  
Karolina Wasilow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Human Semen ◽  
Glutathione Peroxidase Activity ◽  
Normal Sperm ◽  
Group I ◽  
Gpx Activity

We analysed sodium (Na), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) levels in human semen and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) in seminal plasma and examined their relationships with sperm quality. Semen samples were obtained from men (n = 168) undergoing routine infertility evaluation. The study design included two groups based on standard ejaculate parameters: Group I (n = 39) with normal ejaculates (normozoospermia) and Group II (n = 129) with a pathological spermiogram. Se concentration (but not Na or Cu) and GPx activity were significantly higher in normozoospermic males than in those with a pathological spermiogram and also in males with correct sperm motility and normal sperm morphology than in asthenozoospermic and teratozoospermic males. There were significant correlations between sperm motility, Se and GPx, between rapid progressive motility and Cu, between sperm motility and Na, between normal sperm morphology and Se and Cu and between sperm concentration and Cu and GPx. Significant correlations were found between Na and Cu, between Na and Se and between Cu and Se in human semen in relation to alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Na, Cu, Se and GPx are related to sperm characteristics and male fertility and their survey could improve male infertility diagnosis.

scholarly journals An unexpected twist: Sperm cells coil to the right in land snails and to the left in song birds

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menno Schilthuizen ◽  
Rob Langelaan ◽  
Nicola Hemmings ◽  
Wesley van Oostenbrugge ◽  
Stefan Visser
Keyword(s):  
Cell Polarity ◽  
Sperm Cell ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Land Snails ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Body Asymmetry ◽  
Song Birds ◽  
Coiling Direction ◽  
The Right

In animals, cell polarity may initiate symmetry breaking very early in development, ultimately leading to whole-body asymmetry. Helical sperm cells, which occur in a variety of animal clades, are one class of cells that show clearly visible bilateral asymmetry. We used scanning-electron microscopy to study coiling direction in helical sperm cells in two groups of animals that have figured prominently in the sperm morphology literature, namely land snails, Stylommatophora (514 spermatozoa, from 27 individuals, belonging to 8 species and 4 families) and songbirds, Passeriformes (486 spermatozoa, from 26 individuals, belonging to 18 species and 8 families). We found that the snail sperm cells were consistently dextral (clockwise), whereas the bird sperm cells were consistently sinistral (counterclockwise). We discuss reasons why this apparent evolutionary conservatism of sperm cell chirality may or may not be related to whole-body asymmetry.

scholarly journals High-resolution 4-D acquisition of freely swimming human sperm cells without staining

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (15) ◽  
pp. eaay7619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gili Dardikman-Yoffe ◽  
Simcha K. Mirsky ◽  
Itay Barnea ◽  
Natan T. Shaked
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Sperm Cell ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Refractive Index Profile ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Biological Assays ◽  
Natural Movement

We present a new acquisition method that enables high-resolution, fine-detail full reconstruction of the three-dimensional movement and structure of individual human sperm cells swimming freely. We achieve both retrieval of the three-dimensional refractive-index profile of the sperm head, revealing its fine internal organelles and time-varying orientation, and the detailed four-dimensional localization of the thin, highly-dynamic flagellum of the sperm cell. Live human sperm cells were acquired during free swim using a high-speed off-axis holographic system that does not require any moving elements or cell staining. The reconstruction is based solely on the natural movement of the sperm cell and a novel set of algorithms, enabling the detailed four-dimensional recovery. Using this refractive-index imaging approach, we believe that we have detected an area in the cell that is attributed to the centriole. This method has great potential for both biological assays and clinical use of intact sperm cells.

scholarly journals The Association between Ambient Temperature and Sperm Quality in Wuhan, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochen Wang ◽  
Xiaojia Tian ◽  
Bo Ye ◽  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Xiaotong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ambient Temperature ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Pm 2.5 ◽  
Normal Sperm ◽  
Exposure Windows

Abstract Background Few epidemiological investigations have focused on the influence of environmental temperature on human sperm quality. Here, we evaluated the potential association between ambient temperature and human sperm quality in Wuhan, China, and examined the interactive effect of particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and temperature. Methods 1780 males who had been living in Wuhan for no less than three months and received semen analysis at the Department of Reproductive Medicine in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University between April 8, 2013 and June 30, 2015 were recruited. Daily mean meteorological data and air pollution data (PM 2.5 , O 3 and NO 2 ) in Wuhan between 2013 and 2015 were collected. A generalized linear model was used to explore the associations between ambient temperature and sperm quality (including sperm concentration, percentage of normal sperm morphology, and progressive motility) at 0–9, 10–14, 15–69, 70–90, and 0–90 days before semen examination, and the interaction between temperature and PM 2.5 . Results The associations between ambient temperature and sperm quality were an inverted U-shape at five exposure windows, except for a lag of 0–9 days for sperm concentration. A 1 °C increase in ambient temperature above the thresholds was associated with a 2.038 (1.292~2.783), 1.814 (1.217~2.411), 1.458 (1.138~1.777), 0.934(0.617~1.251) and 1.604 (1.258~1.951) decrease in the percentage of normal sperm morphology at lag 0–9, lag 10–14, lag 15–69, lag 70–90, and lag 0–90 days, respectively. The interaction p- values of PM 2.5 and temperature were mostly less than 0.05 at five exposure windows. When ambient temperature exposure levels were above the thresholds, a 0.979 (0.659-1.299) and 3.559 (0.251~6.867) decrease in percentage of normal sperm morphology per 1 °C increase in temperature at lag 0-90 days was observed in the PM 2.5 ≤ P 50 group and PM 2.5 > P 50 group, respectively. Conclusions Our results indicate that exposure to ambient temperature has a threshold effect on sperm quality, and PM 2.5 enhances the effect of temperature on sperm quality when temperatures are above the threshold.

scholarly journals Melatonin and Caffeine Supplementation Used, Respectively, as Protective and Stimulating Agents in the Cryopreservation of Human Sperm Improves Survival, Viability, and Motility after Thawing compared to Traditional TEST-Yolk Buffer

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana R. Pariz ◽  
Caroline Ranéa ◽  
Rosa A. C. Monteiro ◽  
Donald P. Evenson ◽  
Joël R. Drevet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Fragmentation ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Sperm Quality ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Mitochondrial Activity ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Stimulant Effect ◽  
Progressive Motility ◽  
Before And After

Cryopreservation processes can damage spermatozoa and impair structural and functional cell characteristics. Plasma, nuclear membranes, and cellular organelles can suffer from the freeze and thaw process. This study evaluates the protective and stimulant effect of melatonin and caffeine supplementation on the functional characteristics of human spermatozoa before and after freezing. Thirty seminal samples from normozoospermic men aged 19–45 years old collected between October 2012 and May 2017 were included. Semen samples were supplemented with either 2 mM melatonin (MEL) prior to cryopreservation, 2 mM caffeine (CAF) in postthaw, or CAF and MEL (CM) in precryopreservation and postthaw, respectively. Kinetics and seminal parameters, mitochondrial activity, DNA fragmentation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed before and after cryopreservation. A significant reduction in sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, sperm kinetics, and mitochondrial activity, as well as a significant increase in DNA fragmentation and ROS production in postthaw samples compared to fresh samples, was identified. After administration of a caffeine and/or melatonin supplement, there was a significant increase in progressive motility in the CAF (p=0.005) and CM (p=0.048) groups, as well as mitochondrial activity in the CM group (p<0.05). Cryopreservation has negative effects on overall sperm quality and increases ROS production. A combination of caffeine and melatonin in prefreeze and postthaw sperm samples has proven to be a very effective and simple way to improve semen quality. This will be particularly useful for initial low-quality semen samples, those which suffer the most from the freezing/thawing process.

scholarly journals Clinical and Structural Features of Sperm Head Vacuoles in Men Included in the In Vitro Fertilization Programme

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Fekonja ◽  
Jasna Štrus ◽  
Magda Tušek Žnidarič ◽  
Katja Knez ◽  
Eda Vrtacnik Bokal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Semen Quality ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Fertilization Rate ◽  
Sperm Head ◽  
Vitro Fertilization

The human sperm head vacuoles and their role in male infertility are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and ultrastructural features of human sperm head vacuoles in men included in the in vitro fertilization programme: men with normal (normozoospermia) and impaired sperm morphology (teratozoospermia). The sperm samples were observed under 6000-time magnification using motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME). The proportion of sperm with head vacuoles was evaluated and related to the outcome of in vitro fertilization. The sperm of men with impaired sperm morphology was characterized by a higher proportion of sperm head vacuoles. The sperm head vacuoles were related to impaired semen quality (sperm concentration, motility, and morphology) but were not influenced by male factors (semen volume, height, age, weight, or body mass index). Moreover, sperm head vacuoles were related to impaired fertilization rate merely after classical in vitro fertilization (IVF), while there was no relation to pregnancy. In a subgroup of men, the sperm was fixed and observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ultrastructural study revealed that sperm head vacuoles are large nuclear indentations of various sizes and positions, packed with membranous material organized in membrane whorls (MW).

scholarly journals Sperm-hybrid micromotors: on-board assistance for nature’s bustling swimmers

Reproduction ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 159 (2) ◽  
pp. R83-R96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Schwarz ◽  
Mariana Medina-Sánchez ◽  
Oliver G Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Sperm Cell ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Assisted Fertilization

Sperm cells that cannot swim and orient properly compromise male fertility. Such defects are responsible for male infertility regardless of the actual quality of the most important content, the sperm’s DNA. Synthetic micromotors are engineered devices that are able to swim in (body) fluids and microscopic environments, similar to flagellated cells like sperm. Coupled together, a sperm-hybrid micromotor embodies the concept of bringing the sperm cell together with artificial components that assist or replace defective functions of the cell, helping it to pursue its goal without interfering with its health, enabling the process of assisted fertilization and further embryo development all inside the body. Non-invasive, remote-controlled in vivo applicability is the key quality of such hybrid microdevices. Assisted reproduction with the help of micromotors is in the focus of this review, although other biomedical applications that arise from the powerful combination of sperm cell and synthetic enhancement are also discussed and summarized. Details are provided about different fabrication processes and cell-material coupling strategies, and the way from proof-of-concept studies to in vivo experiments in animals is outlined.

scholarly journals Ejaculate traits and sperm morphology depending on ejaculate volume in Duroc boars

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Górski ◽  
Stanisław Kondracki ◽  
Anna Wysokińska
Keyword(s):  
Large Volume ◽  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Sperm Morphology ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Morphological Abnormalities ◽  
Central Poland ◽  
Physical Traits ◽  
Structure Indices

AbstractIntroduction:The aim of this study was to evaluate the dependence between ejaculate traits, sperm morphology, and ejaculate volume in Duroc boars.Material and Methods:The analysis involved 121 ejaculates collected from 12 Duroc boars kept in three artificial insemination centres located in central Poland. Ejaculates were collected manually at one-month intervals, over a period of 10 months. At least 10 ejaculates were collected from each boar. The material was divided by ejaculate volume and each ejaculate was assigned to one of three volume groups: 160 mL and lower, 161–200 mL, and 201 mL and higher. The ejaculates were assessed to identify the basic physical traits and determine the incidence of morphological abnormalities in the spermatozoa, specifying major and minor abnormalities. Furthermore, the morphological structure indices for the spermatozoa were also calculated.Results:In large-volume ejaculates, spermatozoa were more elongated in shape, their heads were more elongated and had the largest flagella. With an increase in the ejaculate volume, sperm concentration in the ejaculate decreased. Moreover, while the total number of sperm in the ejaculate increased, the number of insemination doses obtained from a single ejaculate were higher.Conclusion:The volume of ejaculate has little impact on the occurrence of morphological abnormalities and the size of sperm cells. Ejaculate volume is important for the shape of the sperm cells.

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