Tests of sperm function for evaluation of the male: Penetrak and Tru-Trax.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the Penetrak (Serono Laboratories, Norwell, MA) and Tru-Trax (Humagen, Charlottesville, VA) bovine cervical mucus (CM) penetration assays and to correlate results to parameters of semen analysis and male factor diagnosis.


METHODS
Prospective, nonrandomized, controlled study.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty-six males undergoing evaluation for male factor infertility and 37 fertile semen donors.


METHODS
Human sperm penetration in bovine CM measured by the Penetrak and Tru-Trax assay systems correlated to sperm density, motility, forward progression, and clinical diagnosis.


RESULTS
Two parameters of semen analysis, motility and density were correlated to the distance traversed by the vanguard sperm in both Penetrak and Tru-Trax assays. Penetrak results were significantly correlated to male factor infertility diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Both assays were reliable and highly reproducible, and the Tru-Trax assay was correlated to its predecessor, Penetrak. Although Penetrak and Tru-Trax were correlated to motility and density, no correlation coefficient was > 0.6, suggesting that these assays measure a facet of sperm function that is independent of semen analysis.
Niederberger
C S
CS
Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
Lamb
D J
DJ
Glinz
M
M
Lipshultz
L I
LI
Scully
N F
NF
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions