The effect of peritoneal macrophage incubates on the spermatozoa assay.
PFM have been implicated as a possible cause of infertility in endometriosis. Previous work from our laboratory has indicated that medium incubated with PFM caused a significant decrease in sperm penetration when added to the sperm penetration assay (SPA). To further delineate this finding, medium incubated with killed macrophages, heat-inactivated medium, and various concentrations of macrophage media were added to the SPA. Analysis of the data implied that there is a 1.536% decrease in penetration for every 1% increase in the concentration of PFM medium. Heat-inactivated medium and medium incubated with dead PFM both produced penetrations statistically different from the control. We conclude that medium incubated with PFM is capable of decreasing sperm penetration as measured in the SPA in a dose-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the substance responsible for this decrease appears to be heat-stable and released from dead as well as live macrophages.
D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003470:Culture Media; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions
D003470:Culture Media