Percentages of acrosome-reacted sperm in human semen close to liquefaction and following acrosome-reaction inducing treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To compare spermatozoa from normal and subnormal seminal specimens in their ability to undergo the acrosome reaction, as defined by the triple-staining method.


METHODS
Normal (39) and abnormal (23) specimens were examined by staining promptly after liquefaction. In a total of 32 specimens, the reaction was examined before and after acrosome-reaction-inducing treatment, which was essentially incubation of isolated sperm in BWW containing 0.3% BSA and 4 mM calcium chloride.


RESULTS
Percentage of vital acrosome-reacted sperm (true acrosome reaction) of untreated specimens: normal, 10.0 +/- 4.9%, abnormal, 5.3 +/- 3.6% (P < .001). After treatment: increase in reacted sperm from normal specimens, 9.0 +/- 7.1% to 22.7 +/- 14.0% (P = .005); abnormal specimens, 5.4 +/- 2.9% to 7.3 +/- 4.2% (NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Low capability of sperm to undergo the acrosome reaction might be a decisive factor in the low fertility potential characterizing the majority of abnormal semen. Effort in infertility treatment should be directed to increasing the proportion of acrosome-reacted sperm.
Singer
R
R
Male Fertility Laboratory, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Sagiv
M
M
Barnet
M
M
Zukerman
Z
Z
Allalouf
D
D
Levinsky
H
H
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000502:physiology*
D003470:Culture Media; D002122:Calcium Chloride