OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of calcium ionophore on the fertilization rate of a patient with normozoospermia who nonetheless exhibited a low fertilization rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: In vitro fertilization center. PATIENT(S): A male patient whose sperm, though diagnosed as normal by semen analysis, exhibited a severely low fertilization rate in ICSI cycles. INTERVENTION(S): Oocytes were activated by calcium ionophore after ICSI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Fertilization rate after oocyte activation; ultrastructure and protein expression of the patient's sperm. RESULT(S): The fertilization rate of oocytes activated with calcium ionophore (12 of 15, 80.0%) was higher than that of the nonactivated oocytes (4 of 16, 25.0%). Four embryos derived from the activated oocytes were transferred, resulting in a twin pregnancy. Further investigation revealed abnormalities in the patient's sperm: many nuclear vacuoles were observed and the expression of some proteins was absent. CONCLUSION(S): Oocyte activation with calcium ionophore was effective at increasing the fertilization rate of dysfunctional sperm characterized by ultrastructural and protein expression anomalies.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of calcium ionophore on the fertilization rate of a patient with normozoospermia who nonetheless exhibited a low fertilization rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: In vitro fertilization center. PATIENT(S): A male patient whose sperm, though diagnosed as normal by semen analysis, exhibited a severely low fertilization rate in ICSI cycles. INTERVENTION(S): Oocytes were activated by calcium ionophore after ICSI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Fertilization rate after oocyte activation; ultrastructure and protein expression of the patient's sperm. RESULT(S): The fertilization rate of oocytes activated with calcium ionophore (12 of 15, 80.0%) was higher than that of the nonactivated oocytes (4 of 16, 25.0%). Four embryos derived from the activated oocytes were transferred, resulting in a twin pregnancy. Further investigation revealed abnormalities in the patient's sperm: many nuclear vacuoles were observed and the expression of some proteins was absent. CONCLUSION(S): Oocyte activation with calcium ionophore was effective at increasing the fertilization rate of dysfunctional sperm characterized by ultrastructural and protein expression anomalies.
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: Zahabiya H Chithiwala; Hoi Chang Lee; David L Hill; Teru Jellerette-Nolan; Rafael Fissore; Daniel Grow; Daniel A Dumesic Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2015-07-15 Impact factor: 3.412