Hiroshi Ohta1, Yuko Sakaide, Teruhiko Wakayama. 1. Laboratory for Genomic Reprogramming, Center for Developmental Biology, RIKEN, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan. ohta@cdb.riken.jp
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Male BALB/c mice produce a high proportion of morphologically abnormal sperm. Although the BALB/c male may be a useful model of human male infertility, it remains unclear whether the sperm abnormality rate (SAR) is affected by age or the BALB/c substrain. METHODS: SARs (head shape) were assessed in three BALB/c substrains (A, AnN, ByJ) at 7 and 9 weeks and 6-10 months of age (c.100 sperm/male). The functional ability of abnormal sperm produced from 7-week-old and 6-10-month-old males was determined in BALB/c AnN mice by ICSI. RESULTS: The SAR (quasi-normal plus abnormal sperm) was lower in BALB/c A than in the other two strains (P < 0.05). Further, the SARs of BALB/c AnN and ByJ strains at 7 weeks old were high and decreased rapidly by 9 weeks, suggesting that early spermatogenesis (i.e. the first wave of spermatogenesis) produced low-quality sperm. ICSI experiments indicated that 2-cell stage embryos which developed from morphologically abnormal sperm from both the first wave of spermatogenesis and the older mice (6-10 months) were similar to those from morphologically normal sperm in terms of producing progeny, although the number of 2-cell embryos was slightly lower (P < 0.05, chi(2) test) than with normal sperm. CONCLUSIONS: Although the SARs of BALB/c mice are affected by both age and substrain, the embryos that developed from morphologically abnormal sperm have normal genetic potential in terms of production of progeny.
BACKGROUND: Male BALB/c mice produce a high proportion of morphologically abnormal sperm. Although the BALB/c male may be a useful model of human male infertility, it remains unclear whether the sperm abnormality rate (SAR) is affected by age or the BALB/c substrain. METHODS: SARs (head shape) were assessed in three BALB/c substrains (A, AnN, ByJ) at 7 and 9 weeks and 6-10 months of age (c.100 sperm/male). The functional ability of abnormal sperm produced from 7-week-old and 6-10-month-old males was determined in BALB/c AnN mice by ICSI. RESULTS: The SAR (quasi-normal plus abnormal sperm) was lower in BALB/c A than in the other two strains (P < 0.05). Further, the SARs of BALB/c AnN and ByJ strains at 7 weeks old were high and decreased rapidly by 9 weeks, suggesting that early spermatogenesis (i.e. the first wave of spermatogenesis) produced low-quality sperm. ICSI experiments indicated that 2-cell stage embryos which developed from morphologically abnormal sperm from both the first wave of spermatogenesis and the older mice (6-10 months) were similar to those from morphologically normal sperm in terms of producing progeny, although the number of 2-cell embryos was slightly lower (P < 0.05, chi(2) test) than with normal sperm. CONCLUSIONS: Although the SARs of BALB/c mice are affected by both age and substrain, the embryos that developed from morphologically abnormal sperm have normal genetic potential in terms of production of progeny.
Authors: Benjamin Matthew Skinner; Claudia Cattoni Rathje; Joanne Bacon; Emma Elizabeth Philippa Johnson; Erica Lee Larson; Emily E K Kopania; Jeffrey Martin Good; Gullalaii Yousafzai; Nabeel Ahmed Affara; Peter James Ivor Ellis Journal: Biol Reprod Date: 2019-05-01 Impact factor: 4.285
Authors: Branko Zevnik; Nathalie C Uyttersprot; Ana V Perez; Gerald W M Bothe; Heidrun Kern; Gunther Kauselmann Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-03-05 Impact factor: 3.240