title: The utility of sperm DNA damage assay using toluidine blue and aniline blue staining in routine semen analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship among male age, strict morphology, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm samples from a total of 100 men underwent semen analysis, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation were assessed with toluidine blue (TB) and aniline blue (AB) tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of strict morphology of less than 4%, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure and condensation did not show any statistically significant differences according to male age (p=0.605, p=0.235, and p=0.080). No significant correlation was demonstrated among age of male partners, strict morphology, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure using TB and AB tests. However, abnormal sperm chromatin condensation was positively associated with sperm chromatin structure (r=0.594, p=0.000) and showed negative correlation with strict morphology (r=-0.219, p=0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tests for sperm chromatin condensation showed a significant association with strict morphology. Further study is needed to elucidate the relationship between clinical outcome and sperm chromatin tests.
authors.affiliation: IVF Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Moon Joo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sung Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung-Yup
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Choi
keywords: Aniline blue; DNA damage; Human; Semen analysis; Toluidine blue