Male infertility and mitochondrial DNA.
The mitochondrial machinery plays a key role in the energy production and maintenance of spermatozoa motility. In this paper 200 idiopathic oligo-asthenozoospermic patients were classified on the basis of rapid progressive motility ("a") and sperm concentration. Mitochondrial enzymatic activity was studied and correlated to the viability of sperm cells. Mitochondrial DNA purified from both motile and non-motile sperm of the same individuals was amplificated using PCR. Results suggested that only motile sperm have organelles functional in oxygen consumption, unequivocally demonstrating that motility depends on the mitochondrial activity. Mitochondrial DNA of oligo-asthenozoospermic patients seemed to present some defects that made DNA unavailable for amplification.
Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo A. Monroy Università di Palermo Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, Italy.
Elena
E
Carra
Donatella
D
Sangiorgi
Francesco
F
Gattuccio
Anna Maria
AM
Rinaldi
D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes