title: The hemizona assay (HZA): a predictor of human sperm fertilizing potential in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.
abstract: The hemizona assay (HZA) was developed to assess human sperm fertilizing potential. This blinded study investigated the relationship between sperm binding to the hemizona and in vitro fertilization (IVF) success (36 patients). Nonliving human oocytes were recovered from excised ovaries and stored. Each zona pellucida was cut into equal hemispheres by micromanipulation. For the HZA, one droplet exposed a hemizona to abnormal spermatozoa, while the control droplet contained the matching hemizona and spermatozoa from normal semen. After 4 hr, the number of tightly bound spermatozoa was counted. Binding to the hemizona was significantly higher for those having IVF success (mean of 36.1 +/- 7, versus 10.4 +/- 4 from the failure group; P less than 0.05). Fewer sperm from the failure group had a strictly normal morphology (3.2 versus 12.7%; P less than 0.05, Kruger method). Tight zona binding was significantly correlated with the percentage motile sperm, percentage normal morphology, and seminal sperm concentration. These results enhanced our confidence that the HZA is diagnostic for identification of patients at high risk of failing to achieve fertilization in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Franken
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oehninger
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Burkman
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Coddington
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kruger
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rosenwaks
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hodgen
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000378:metabolism*