Nuclear maturity of human spermatozoa selected by swim-up or by Percoll gradient centrifugation procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between sperm preparation techniques and nuclear maturity, as evidenced by the electrophoretic profiles of sperm nuclear proteins.


METHODS
Analysis of sperm nuclear quality in sperm populations used for IVF.


METHODS
Center for infertility and assisted reproductive technology and university departments.


METHODS
Twenty-seven men undergoing an infertility work-up.


METHODS
Comparative electrophoretic investigation of nucleoproteins extracted from spermatozoa selected by swim-up or Percoll techniques.


RESULTS
Nuclear maturity level is improved after the two methods of selection but is more improved after Percoll. In the two groups, selected spermatozoa contain less histones. Moreover, Percoll gradients appeared to enrich for spermatozoa with less intermediate proteins and more mature nucleoproteins of P2 family than swim-up spermatozoa.


CONCLUSIONS
Percoll may offer advantages in terms of the quality of the selected spermatozoa that may influence the outcome of assisted conception techniques.
Colleu
D
D
Center for Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology La Sagesse, University of Rennes, France.
Lescoat
D
D
Gouranton
J
J
D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011479:Protamines / Q000032:analysis; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011479:Protamines