Aim: To evaluate the possible links between ultrastructural sperm quality and the clinical pregnancy rate in infertile males treated with FSH before intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: Forty-four inferti...Aim: To evaluate the possible links between ultrastructural sperm quality and the clinical pregnancy rate in infertile males treated with FSH before intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: Forty-four infertile males with idiopathic oligo-asthenozoospermia were randomly allocated to the treated (n=24) and non-treated (control, n=20) groups. Semen analysis was carried out by light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) before and 12 weeks after FSH therapy. ICSI was performed in all couples. Results: TEM revealed a significant improvement in sperm quality after FSH treatment, particularly in men with their partners achieving clinical pregnancy. The preg nancy rate was 33 % in the treated group and 20 % in the control. Conclusion: Results highlight a positive role of FSH therapy in infertile males before ICSI, which was correlated vvith an increased pregnancy rate in treated couples. We believe that improved sperm ultrastructure after FSH therapy could positively influence the quality and early stage of embryo development, thereby increasing the probability of embryo implantation.展开更多
Microsurgical training is imperative for urologists and clinical andrologists specializing in male infertility. Success in male infertility microsurgery is heavily dependent on the surgeon's microsurgical skills. Lab...Microsurgical training is imperative for urologists and clinical andrologists specializing in male infertility. Success in male infertility microsurgery is heavily dependent on the surgeon's microsurgical skills. Laboratory-based practice to enhance microsurgical skills improves the surgeon's confidence, and reduces stress and operating time, benefiting both the patient and the surgeon. This review provides guidelines for setting up a microsurgical laboratory to develop and enhance microsurgical skills using synthetic and animal models. The role of emerginE techniaues, such as robotic-assisted microsureerv, is also discussed.展开更多
Despite controversy regarding the clinical value of semen analysis, male fertility investigation still relies on a standardized analysis of the semen parameters. This is especially true for infertility clinics in both...Despite controversy regarding the clinical value of semen analysis, male fertility investigation still relies on a standardized analysis of the semen parameters. This is especially true for infertility clinics in both developing and developed countries. Other optional tests or sophisticated technologies have not been widely applied. The current review addresses important changes in the analysis of semen as described in the new World Health Organization (WHO) manual for semen analysis. The most important change in the manual is the use of evidence-based publications as references to determine cutoff values for normality. Apart from the above mentioned changes, the initial evaluation and handling methods remain, in most instances, the same as in previous editions. Furthermore, the review evaluates the importance of quality control in andrology with emphasis on the evaluation of sperm morphology. WHO sperm morphology training programmes for Sub-Saharan countries were initiated at Tygerberg Hospital in 1995. The external qualitY control programme has ensured that the majority of participants have maintained their morphological reading skills acquired during initial training. This review reports on current sperm functional tests, such as the induced acrosome reaction, and sperm-zona pellucida binding assays, as well as the impact of sperm quality in terms of DNA integrity, and the relationship of sperm function tests to sperm morphology.展开更多
Aim: To develop a method for assessing sperm function by measuring released acrosin activity during the acrosome reaction (AR). Methods: Human semen samples were obtained from 24 healthy donors with proven fertili...Aim: To develop a method for assessing sperm function by measuring released acrosin activity during the acrosome reaction (AR). Methods: Human semen samples were obtained from 24 healthy donors with proven fertility after 3-7 days of sexual abstinence. After collection, samples were liquefied for 30 min at room temperature. Standard semen parameters were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Calcium ionophore A23187 and progesterone (P4) were used to stimulate the sperm to undergo AR. After treatment, sperm were incubated with the supravital dye Hoechst33258, fixed in a glutaraldehyde-phosphate-buffered saline solution, and the acrosomal status was determined by fluorescence microscopy with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA). The percentage of sperm undergoing AR (AR%) was compared to sperm acrosin activities as assessed by spectrocolorimetry. The correlation between AR% and acrosin activity was determined by statistical analysis. Results: The AR% and released acrosin activity were both markedly increased with A23187 and P4 stimulation. Sperm motility and viability were significantly higher after stimulation with P4 versus stimulation with A23187 (P 〈 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between released acrosin activity and AR% determined by FITC-PSA staining (r= 0.916, P 〈 0.001). Conclusion: Spectrocolorimetric measurement of released acrosin activity might serve as a reasonable alternative method to evaluate AR. (Asian J Androl 2008 Mar, 10: 236-242)展开更多
There has been a recent renewed interest in the medical treatment of male subfertility. Akhough, intracytoplasmic sperm injection can surmount many of the reproductive challenges imposed upon couples struggling with m...There has been a recent renewed interest in the medical treatment of male subfertility. Akhough, intracytoplasmic sperm injection can surmount many of the reproductive challenges imposed upon couples struggling with male infertility, it remains an invasive and expensive treatment modality.展开更多
Four transplant studies are described that focus on fertilisation and early development or the progression of unfertilised oocytes (eggs) in the oviduct. (1) Pig eggs transplanted from ovulations induced during th...Four transplant studies are described that focus on fertilisation and early development or the progression of unfertilised oocytes (eggs) in the oviduct. (1) Pig eggs transplanted from ovulations induced during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle were fertilised in the oviducts of inseminated recipient animals in estrus. By contrast, pig eggs from donors in estrus became highly polyspermic when transplanted to the oviducts of animals force-mated during the luteal phase. (2) Pig embryos at the stage of hatched blastocysts ( days 7 and 8) could be transplanted successfuUy to synchronous recipients and full embryonic development demonstrated to between days 19 and 23 of pregnancy. Thus, the exposed trophectoderm of developing embryos could withstand the physical ma- nipulation of recovery and transplantation, and the li-fespan of corpora lutea in the unmated recipients could be prolonged by transfer of day 7 and 8 blastocysts. (3) Bovine oocytes aspirated from 2 to 6 mm diameter Graafian follicles and matured in vitro were fertilized normally in the oviducts of inseminated recipient heifers, demonstrating the potential of slaughterhouse ovaries for the generation of embryos. (4) Transplanting equine eggs to a pig oviduct, in which egg descent to the uterus requires only 46 to 48 h, did not reveal a retarded progress of degenerating unferfil- ised horse eggs, suggesting the involvement of nonphysical factors in equine embryo progression to the uterus. Prostaglandins of embryonic origin are now known to be a key. A final section examines the postovulatory role of ovarian follicular cells on the secretory activity of the oviductal epithelium.展开更多
Traditionally oocytes have been exposed to sperm overnight for 16-20 h.This long period of co-incubation, however,has been shown to create problems with high levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),which may affect emb...Traditionally oocytes have been exposed to sperm overnight for 16-20 h.This long period of co-incubation, however,has been shown to create problems with high levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),which may affect embryo viability and cause hardening of the zona pellucida.Recently,several positive and negative effects of reducing the co-incubation time to 90-120 min were reported.The objective of this review was to discuss whether short exposure of oocytes to sperm in vitro might affect the clinical results and several problems arose in short gamete co-incubation.展开更多
文摘Aim: To evaluate the possible links between ultrastructural sperm quality and the clinical pregnancy rate in infertile males treated with FSH before intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: Forty-four infertile males with idiopathic oligo-asthenozoospermia were randomly allocated to the treated (n=24) and non-treated (control, n=20) groups. Semen analysis was carried out by light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) before and 12 weeks after FSH therapy. ICSI was performed in all couples. Results: TEM revealed a significant improvement in sperm quality after FSH treatment, particularly in men with their partners achieving clinical pregnancy. The preg nancy rate was 33 % in the treated group and 20 % in the control. Conclusion: Results highlight a positive role of FSH therapy in infertile males before ICSI, which was correlated vvith an increased pregnancy rate in treated couples. We believe that improved sperm ultrastructure after FSH therapy could positively influence the quality and early stage of embryo development, thereby increasing the probability of embryo implantation.
文摘Microsurgical training is imperative for urologists and clinical andrologists specializing in male infertility. Success in male infertility microsurgery is heavily dependent on the surgeon's microsurgical skills. Laboratory-based practice to enhance microsurgical skills improves the surgeon's confidence, and reduces stress and operating time, benefiting both the patient and the surgeon. This review provides guidelines for setting up a microsurgical laboratory to develop and enhance microsurgical skills using synthetic and animal models. The role of emerginE techniaues, such as robotic-assisted microsureerv, is also discussed.
文摘Despite controversy regarding the clinical value of semen analysis, male fertility investigation still relies on a standardized analysis of the semen parameters. This is especially true for infertility clinics in both developing and developed countries. Other optional tests or sophisticated technologies have not been widely applied. The current review addresses important changes in the analysis of semen as described in the new World Health Organization (WHO) manual for semen analysis. The most important change in the manual is the use of evidence-based publications as references to determine cutoff values for normality. Apart from the above mentioned changes, the initial evaluation and handling methods remain, in most instances, the same as in previous editions. Furthermore, the review evaluates the importance of quality control in andrology with emphasis on the evaluation of sperm morphology. WHO sperm morphology training programmes for Sub-Saharan countries were initiated at Tygerberg Hospital in 1995. The external qualitY control programme has ensured that the majority of participants have maintained their morphological reading skills acquired during initial training. This review reports on current sperm functional tests, such as the induced acrosome reaction, and sperm-zona pellucida binding assays, as well as the impact of sperm quality in terms of DNA integrity, and the relationship of sperm function tests to sperm morphology.
文摘Aim: To develop a method for assessing sperm function by measuring released acrosin activity during the acrosome reaction (AR). Methods: Human semen samples were obtained from 24 healthy donors with proven fertility after 3-7 days of sexual abstinence. After collection, samples were liquefied for 30 min at room temperature. Standard semen parameters were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Calcium ionophore A23187 and progesterone (P4) were used to stimulate the sperm to undergo AR. After treatment, sperm were incubated with the supravital dye Hoechst33258, fixed in a glutaraldehyde-phosphate-buffered saline solution, and the acrosomal status was determined by fluorescence microscopy with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA). The percentage of sperm undergoing AR (AR%) was compared to sperm acrosin activities as assessed by spectrocolorimetry. The correlation between AR% and acrosin activity was determined by statistical analysis. Results: The AR% and released acrosin activity were both markedly increased with A23187 and P4 stimulation. Sperm motility and viability were significantly higher after stimulation with P4 versus stimulation with A23187 (P 〈 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between released acrosin activity and AR% determined by FITC-PSA staining (r= 0.916, P 〈 0.001). Conclusion: Spectrocolorimetric measurement of released acrosin activity might serve as a reasonable alternative method to evaluate AR. (Asian J Androl 2008 Mar, 10: 236-242)
文摘There has been a recent renewed interest in the medical treatment of male subfertility. Akhough, intracytoplasmic sperm injection can surmount many of the reproductive challenges imposed upon couples struggling with male infertility, it remains an invasive and expensive treatment modality.
文摘Four transplant studies are described that focus on fertilisation and early development or the progression of unfertilised oocytes (eggs) in the oviduct. (1) Pig eggs transplanted from ovulations induced during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle were fertilised in the oviducts of inseminated recipient animals in estrus. By contrast, pig eggs from donors in estrus became highly polyspermic when transplanted to the oviducts of animals force-mated during the luteal phase. (2) Pig embryos at the stage of hatched blastocysts ( days 7 and 8) could be transplanted successfuUy to synchronous recipients and full embryonic development demonstrated to between days 19 and 23 of pregnancy. Thus, the exposed trophectoderm of developing embryos could withstand the physical ma- nipulation of recovery and transplantation, and the li-fespan of corpora lutea in the unmated recipients could be prolonged by transfer of day 7 and 8 blastocysts. (3) Bovine oocytes aspirated from 2 to 6 mm diameter Graafian follicles and matured in vitro were fertilized normally in the oviducts of inseminated recipient heifers, demonstrating the potential of slaughterhouse ovaries for the generation of embryos. (4) Transplanting equine eggs to a pig oviduct, in which egg descent to the uterus requires only 46 to 48 h, did not reveal a retarded progress of degenerating unferfil- ised horse eggs, suggesting the involvement of nonphysical factors in equine embryo progression to the uterus. Prostaglandins of embryonic origin are now known to be a key. A final section examines the postovulatory role of ovarian follicular cells on the secretory activity of the oviductal epithelium.
基金supported by Innovation Program of Shenzhen Hong Kong Collaboration(no.ZYB2009070907090141A)Medica Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province(no. A2009626,WSTJJ2009112844162219821214420X)
文摘Traditionally oocytes have been exposed to sperm overnight for 16-20 h.This long period of co-incubation, however,has been shown to create problems with high levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),which may affect embryo viability and cause hardening of the zona pellucida.Recently,several positive and negative effects of reducing the co-incubation time to 90-120 min were reported.The objective of this review was to discuss whether short exposure of oocytes to sperm in vitro might affect the clinical results and several problems arose in short gamete co-incubation.