title: Defective function of membrane potential (psi) on sperm of infertile men.
abstract: Membrane potential across the plasma membrane (psi) of human sperm was determined by measuring the accumulation of triphenylmethylphosphonium (TPMP+). Washed sperm of fertile or infertile men were suspended, incubated in low-K+ and high-Na+ or high-K+ and low-Na+ medium, and allowed to take up the cation TPMP+ to a steady state (20 min at 37 degrees C). Under these conditions a psi of -75 +/- 6 mV was observed in sperm cells of fertile men, while in spermatozoa of idiopathic and asthenozoospermic infertile men, the psi was of 35 +/- 5 mV and 32 +/- 5 mV, respectively. Upon depolarization of the sperm membrane by K+, the transport system Na(+)-K+ in spermatozoa of idiopathic infertile men decreased 53 +/- 3.5%, while that in sperm cells asthenozoospermic men decreased 57 +/- 3% with respect to spermatozoa of fertile men. The results of these studies indicate their possible application to the diagnosis of male infertility.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación en Biología de la Reproducción, IMSS, México, DF Mexico.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calzada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tellez
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009861:Onium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D014320:Triphenylmethyl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009861:Onium Compounds; D014320:Triphenylmethyl Compounds; C011561:triphenylmethylphosphonium; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium