Multistep and single-step treatment of human spermatozoa with cryoprotectants.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the impact of multi- and single-step addition of cryoprotectants on human spermatozoa.


METHODS
Human semen was subjected to cryoprotective agents (CPAs) in both one-step and multistep protocols before removal of the CPAs by multi-step and single-step methods.


METHODS
Infertility clinic.


METHODS
Healthy normozoospermic volunteers.


METHODS
Single- and multistep addition and removal of a range of CPAs.


METHODS
Analysis of tail morphology and total and progressive motility, as well as kinematic parameters, in medium and sperm penetration into artificial mucus.


RESULTS
While no CPA drastically affected sperm vitality, some were more deleterious than others. Propane-1,3-diol was the least damaging to sperm function, whereas glycerol and ethyl(hydroxymethyl)propane were particularly disruptive. For all CPAs, multistep addition and removal of CPAs proved less damaging to sperm function than the single-step protocol.


CONCLUSIONS
Optimal CPAs may be those that minimize osmotic stresses to spermatozoa during prefreeze and post-thaw procedures.
Widiasih
Dyah
D
Institute of Reproductive Medicine of the University, Domagkstrasse 11, Münster, Germany.
Yeung
Ching-Hei
CH
Junaidi
Aris
A
Cooper
Trevor G
TG
D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
D003451:Cryoprotective Agents