The exchange of histones for transition proteins (TNPs) and finally protamines is an essential process during spermatogenesis that enables the strong condensation of chromatin during sperm formation. Research on this process obviously depends on the availability of specific antibodies recognizing these nuclear proteins. A commercial antibody generated against human protamine-2 (PRM2) has been d...

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the method of choice for fertilizing horse oocytes in vitro. Nevertheless, for reasons that are not yet clear, embryo development rates are low. The aims of this study were to examine cytoskeletal and chromatin reorganization in horse oocytes fertilized by ICSI or activated parthenogenetically. Additional oocytes were injected with a sperm labeled with...

Sperm chromatin integrity has been being recognized as an important factor in male fertility. During normal fertilization, high quality sperm with intact chromatin are selected through natural selection in journey from vagina to fallopian tube. However, using Assisted Reproductive Techniques, particularly ICSI, the natural selection is bypassed. Therefore sperm with DNA breakage have the opport...

This study was conducted to determine chromatin integrity and DNA damage by DNA electrophoresis and comet assays of buffalo fresh and frozen semen. Semen samples were collected from four buffalo bulls and evaluated after freezing for semen motility, viability, sperm abnormalities, chromatin integrity and DNA damage. A significant variation was found in semen parameters after thawing. Highly sig...

Class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) regulate DNA-templated processes such as transcription. They act both at specific loci and more generally across global chromatin, contributing to acetylation patterns that may underlie large-scale chromatin dynamics. Although hypoacetylation is correlated with highly condensed chromatin, little is known about the contribution of individual HDACs to chromati...

Zona-free oocytes of the mouse were inseminated at prometaphase I or metaphase I of meiotic maturation in vitro, and the behavior of the sperm nuclei within the oocyte cytoplasm was examined. If the oocytes were penetrated by up to three sperm, maturation continued during subsequent incubation and became arrested at metaphase II. Meanwhile, each sperm nucleus underwent the following changes. Fi...

Background: Although sperm selection according to morphologic and motility characteristic, made to some what the fertility successful, but sperm’s normal morphology cannot demonstrate sperm DNA competence. Since the health of sperm DNA is affecting the results of assisted reproductive technology; the aim of this study is to evaluate semen parameters measured by CASA with sperm chromatin abnorma...

background: the availability of testis specific genes will be of help in choosing the most promising biomarkers for the detection of testicular sperm retrieval in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (noa). testis specific chromodomain protein y 1 (cdy1) is a histone acetyltransferase which concentrates in the round spermatid nucleus, where histone hyperacetylation occurs and causes the re...

Oxidative stress is detrimental to sperm function and a significant factor in the etiology of male infertility. This report examines the association between dietary and supplementary intake of the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene and sperm chromatin integrity. Eighty-seven healthy male volunteers donated semen samples, completed food-frequency questionnaires, and provided in...

The quality of sperm ejaculated by bonnet monkeys and normal, healthy proven fertile volunteer men, both actively immunized with ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (oFSH), was examined at different times of study for chromatin packaging and acrosomal glycoprotein concentration by flow cytometry. Susceptibility of sperm nuclear DNA to dithiothreitol (DTT)-induced decondensation, as measured by e...