BACKGROUND Spermatozoa with large vacuoles (SLV) may have a negative impact on embryo development. The origin of these vacuoles is unknown. We evaluated acrosome and nucleus alterations in isolated SLV, versus unselected spermatozoa. METHODS We studied 20 patients with teratozoospermia. Spermatozoa from the native semen sample and spermatozoa presenting a vacuole occupying >13.0% total head a...

Epidemiological evidence indicates that assisted reproductive technologies (ART) may be associated with several epigenetic diseases such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) or Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS). Selection of sperm by density-gradients in ART has improved DNA integrity and sperm quality; however, epigenetic alterations associated with this approach are largely unknown. In the presen...

OBJECTIVE To compare the percentage of sperm tail membrane swelling under hypo-osmotic conditions between sperm treated with pentoxifylline and 2-deoxyadenosine. DESIGN Experimental in vitro study. MATERIAL AND METHOD Thirty normal semen samples from male partners of infertile couples were collected. After sperm preparation by two-layer Percoll gradient method, each sperm sample was divided...

Gamete recognition proteins can evolve at astonishing rates and lie at the heart of reproductive isolation and speciation in diverse taxa. However, the source of selection driving this evolution remains unknown. We report on how the sperm bindin genotype influences reproductive success under natural conditions. An interaction between genotype frequency and spawning density determines how sperm ...

Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Abbreviations: WHO: World Health Organization; ROS: Reactive Oxygen Species; PS: Phosphatidylserine; EPS: Externalization of Phosphatidylserine; ART: Assisted Reproduction Techniques; IUI: Intra-Uterine Insemination; IVF: In Vitro Fertilization; ICSI: Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection; PICSI: Physiologic Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection; SU: Swim-Up;...

BACKGROUND Leukocytes represent the predominant source of reactive oxygen species both in seminal plasma and in sperm suspensions and have been demonstrated to negatively influence sperm function and fertilization rate in assisted reproduction procedures. Peroxidase test is the standard method recommended by WHO to detect semen leukocytes but it may be inaccurate. The aims of this study were (i...

Testicular sperm retrieval techniques associated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection have changed the field of male infertility treatment and given many azoospermic men the chance to become biological fathers. Despite the current use of testicular sperm extraction, reliable clinical and laboratory prognostic factors of sperm recovery are still absent. The objective of this article was to revi...

Silane-coated silica particle solutions (ISolate(TM) and PureSperm)TM)) and iodixanol (OptiPrep(TM)) were compared to polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated silica particles (Percoll(TM)) in their efficacy to recover spermatozoa by gradient centrifugation for use in assisted reproductive procedures. Efficacy was assessed in terms of percentages of sperm recovery, sperm vitality and motility, normal ...