OBJECTIVE: To test, both in semen and washed-sperm fractions, whether hyaluronic acid (HA) binding is restricted to sperm that have completed cellular maturation. DESIGN: Comparisons of sperm in semen and in HA-bound sperm fractions. SETTINGS: University-based diagnostic and research andrology laboratory. PATIENT(S): Semen samples originated in men being tested for infertility. INTERVENTION(S): The attributes of sperm maturity were tested by immunocytochemistry with creatine kinase and HspA2 antisera (highlights cytoplasmic retention in diminished-maturity sperm), aniline blue chromatin staining (detects persistent histones), pisum sativum lectin staining (reveals acrosomal integrity), and the FertiLight viability kit (highlights viable and nonviable sperm). RESULT(S): All markers of sperm maturity and immaturity supported the hypothesis that HA-bound sperm are mature. Nonbinding sperm exhibited cytoplasmic and nuclear properties of diminished maturity. The acrosomal status of HA-bound sperm was either unreacted or slightly capacitated, but not acrosome reacted. Only viable sperm exhibited HA binding. CONCLUSION(S): Sperm that are able to bind to HA are mature and have completed the spermiogenetic processes of sperm plasma membrane remodeling, cytoplasmic extrusion, and nuclear histone-protamine replacement. Hyaluronic acid-bound sperm show unreacted acrosomes. These studies provide further insights into the relationship between spermiogenesis and sperm function.
OBJECTIVE: To test, both in semen and washed-sperm fractions, whether hyaluronic acid (HA) binding is restricted to sperm that have completed cellular maturation. DESIGN: Comparisons of sperm in semen and in HA-bound sperm fractions. SETTINGS: University-based diagnostic and research andrology laboratory. PATIENT(S): Semen samples originated in men being tested for infertility. INTERVENTION(S): The attributes of sperm maturity were tested by immunocytochemistry with creatine kinase and HspA2 antisera (highlights cytoplasmic retention in diminished-maturity sperm), aniline blue chromatin staining (detects persistent histones), pisum sativum lectin staining (reveals acrosomal integrity), and the FertiLight viability kit (highlights viable and nonviable sperm). RESULT(S): All markers of sperm maturity and immaturity supported the hypothesis that HA-bound sperm are mature. Nonbinding sperm exhibited cytoplasmic and nuclear properties of diminished maturity. The acrosomal status of HA-bound sperm was either unreacted or slightly capacitated, but not acrosome reacted. Only viable sperm exhibited HA binding. CONCLUSION(S): Sperm that are able to bind to HA are mature and have completed the spermiogenetic processes of sperm plasma membrane remodeling, cytoplasmic extrusion, and nuclear histone-protamine replacement. Hyaluronic acid-bound sperm show unreacted acrosomes. These studies provide further insights into the relationship between spermiogenesis and sperm function.
Authors: Hye Jin Yoon; In Hee Bae; Hyoung Jun Kim; Jung Mi Jang; Yong Su Hur; Hae Kwon Kim; San Hyun Yoon; Won Don Lee; Jin Ho Lim Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2013-10-10 Impact factor: 3.412
Authors: Jaime Gosálvez; Pedro Caballero; Carmen López-Fernández; Leonor Ortega; José Andrés Guijarro; José Luís Fernández; Stephen D Johnston; Rocío Nuñez-Calonge Journal: Asian J Androl Date: 2013-10-14 Impact factor: 3.285
Authors: Jelena Lazarevic; Maria Wikarczuk; Stephen G Somkuti; Larry I Barmat; Jay S Schinfeld; Scott E Smith Journal: J Exp Clin Assist Reprod Date: 2010-02-10