Free radicals: their beneficial and detrimental effects on sperm function.
Free radicals are molecules with one or more unpaired electron(s) commonly found in seminal plasma. Physiologically, free radicals control sperm maturation, capacitation and hyperactivation, the acrosome reaction, and sperm-oocyte fusion. Pathologically, free radicals induce lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and apoptosis of spermatozoa. The present review deals with both the beneficial and detrimental effects of free radicals on sperm function.
Kothari
Shiva
S
Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A19.1, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Thompson
Aaron
A
Agarwal
Ashok
A
du Plessis
Stefan S
SS
D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004249:DNA Damage; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000502:physiology; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*
D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species