The influence of semen quality on the kinetics of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa in vitro.
Spontaneous sperm acrosome-reaction (AR) was examined in washed semen samples of 12 donors with proven fertility and 16 infertile patients who visited the Infertility Clinic of Shimane Medical University Hospital, using fluorescein-labeled Concanavalin A lectin during incubation (37 degrees C, 5% CO2) of up to 24 hours. In the fertile-semen samples, a significant (p < 0.05) increase of %AR was observed, with maximum values at 6 hours (or longer) of incubation. In the abnormal-semen samples, 2 reaction patterns of %AR were observed: (1) a rapid significant (p < 0.05) increase of %AR, with a maximum value at 3 hours of incubation; and (2) %AR < 10% after 24 hours. The results are discussed and a new value (the GAR rate), which expresses the rate of spermatozoa getting acrosome reaction, is introduced. We conclude that abnormal semen quality leads to alterations in the pattern of the AR.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shimane Medical University, Japan.
K
K
Takahashi
M
M
Kitao
D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*