Andrology. Study of mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation and cell viability by flow cytometry in human sperm

Author： Marchetti Carole

Publisher： Oxford University Press

ISSN： 1460-2350

Source： Human Reproduction, Vol.17, Iss.5, 2002-05, pp. : 1257-1265

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sperm cell death appears to be a cause of male infertility. The objective of this study was to determine the most reliable method for the evaluation of sperm quality in semen samples during sperm preparation for IVF. METHODS: Conventional analysis of semen samples was compared with several cytofluorometric methods detecting death-associated changes. Neat semen from infertile patients and sperm prepared by PureSperm^® gradient were studied by conventional microscopy and analysed for mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨΨm), generation of reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation and cell viability. RESULTS: In neat semen, a positive correlation was found between the percentage of ΔΨΨm^high sperm cells and standard semen parameters (concentration/motility). Sperm cells depicting ΔΨΨm^high and cells with low DNA fragmentation displayed high fertilization rate after IVF. The only changes that could be detected in prepared sperm were changes in ΔΨΨm, with ΔΨΨm^high sperm positively correlated with forward motility and also with high fertilization rates after IVF. CONCLUSION: Analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential is the most sensitive test by which to determine sperm quality. These findings promise development of a test that may help to predict successful IVF.