title: Movement characteristics of human spermatozoa collected from different layers of a discontinuous Percoll gradient.
abstract: In order to evaluate the functional state of human spermatozoa separated on discontinuous Percoll gradient, sperm provided by 15 healthy volunteers were recovered from different layers (60, 70, 80, 90, 100%) of the gradient, then submitted to a complete analysis of sperm movement characteristics. This one was performed using a computer assisted system (Cellsoft, Cryo Resources, Ltd., NY, USA). In all fractions sperm motility was highly maintained during 24 h and all movement characteristics, with the exception of ALH, were different from that observed in seminal plasma. Curvilinear velocity (VCL), linearity (LIN), and percentage of hyper-activated sperm (HA) increased in relation to the Percoll concentration. Nevertheless there was no dramatic difference, concerning motion parameters, between 100%, 90%, and 80% Percoll fractions, which can thereby be pooled in case of insufficient sperm recovering in 100% fraction. On the contrary there is some doubt about the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa recovered in 70% and 60% Percoll layers, since VCL, LIN, and especially HA are severely decreased.
authors.affiliation: Departement de Gynecologie Oncologie, Gynecologie Senologie, Medicine de la Reproduction, Hopital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Guerin
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011205:Povidone; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C016039:Percoll; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone