title: DNA organization in patients with a history of cryptorchidism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cryptorchidism is associated with infertility, even in those patients with unilateral undescended testes. The mechanism for this infertility is not understood. We demonstrated recently that in mice, a stable nuclear matrix, a structural component of the nucleus that organizes DNA, is necessary for proper embryogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that spermatozoa from cryptorchid patients had unstable nuclear matrices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples from 7 patients with a history of undescended testes and decreased fertility were tested for sperm nuclear matrix stability using our halo assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 7 patients were found to have unstable nuclear matrices, as compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study suggests that one factor in the decreased fertility of cryptorchid patients may be unstable sperm nuclear matrices.
authors: Division of Urology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
authors: J G
authors: JG
authors: Barone
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Christiano
authors: W S
authors: WS
authors: Ward
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D015530:Nuclear Matrix / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004247:DNA