Fertilization and cleavage rates of heparin-exposed human oocytes in vitro, and the effect of heparin on the acrosome reaction.
Fertilization and cleavage rates were compared in 1024 heparin-exposed and nonexposed human oocytes recovered from 183 consecutive in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Heparinized Ham's F-10 medium, (Gibco, Grand Island, NY) 1.0 ml (2.0 mg heparin/ml) was added to bloody follicular fluid; clear follicular aspirates did not receive heparin. Fertilization and cleavage rates for heparin-exposed (n = 714) and nonexposed (n = 310) oocytes were not significantly different: 63.9 versus 61.6% fertilized (chi 2 = 0.472); 89.3 versus 87.4% of fertilized eggs cleaved (chi 2 = 0.445). A subset of 100 patients, each contributing both heparin-exposed and nonexposed oocytes, also was evaluated. Fertilization and cleavage rates were not significantly different: 59.1 versus 60.8% fertilized (chi 2 = 0.192); 87.6 versus 87.2% of fertilized oocytes cleaved (chi 2 = 0.014). A modified triple stain was used to evaluate the acrosome reaction rate of sperm that had been coincubated with 76 oocytes from ten patients. There was no significant difference in the proportion of viable acrosome-reacted sperm following incubation with heparin-exposed (1.9 +/- 1.0%) versus nonexposed (2.3 +/- 1.2%) (mean +/- standard deviation [SD]) oocytes. The addition of heparin to follicular fluid at the time of oocyte recovery for IVF has no apparent effect on fertilization or cleavage in vitro, nor any influence on the acrosome reaction.
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001826:Body Fluids; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000187:drug effects*; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
D006493:Heparin