• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2012

Male factor infertility or sub-fertility contributed half of all cases of infertility while the semen abnormality is the current topic of argument. Conventional analysis of semen showed poor correlation with fertility. Therefore, evaluation of current semen analysis method is necessary to improve standards of semen assessment. The goal of this study was to investigate that correlation between motion kinematic before and after capacitation and litter size in porcine. Sperm motility and kinematics were measure by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The motility of spermatozoa was positively correlated with curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), and mean amplitude of head lateral displacement (ALH) (p<0.05). Where as VCL positively correlated with VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.01). Straight-line velocity (VSL) was positively correlated with VAP and ALH (p<0.01). VAP was significantly positively correlated with ALH (p<0.01). Also, we found significant positive correlation among variation of VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.05). No motility and kinematic parameter are correlated with litter size. However, litter size was significantly correlated with breed (p<0.05). Our results suggested that analysis of sperm motility and kinematics using CASA is questionable for prediction of litter size. However, it has some practical importance to evaluate semen commercially.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2011

The study aim is to investigate the free radicals scavenging and spermatogenic potentials, as well as to analyze any reproductive toxicity of ethanolic extract of Mucuna prureins (M. pruriens) Linn. in spermatozoa, under different dosages in normal male rat. Normal rats were randomly selected and suspension of the extract was administered orally at the dosages of 150, 200 and 250 mg/kg body weight of the different groups of male rats (n=6) once in a day for 60 days and grouped as group II, III and IV respectively. Saline treated rats served as control -group I. On the $60^{th}$ day the animals were sacrificed and the epididymal sperm were subjected to various analyses like level of ROS production, LPO, enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidant, morphology, morphometry, chromosomal integrity and DNA damage. Results showed significant reduction in ROS production and peroxidation and significant increase in both enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in all concentration treated groups when compared with control. Results from all the drug treated groups showed good sperm morphology, increased sperm count and motility. There was no DNA damage and showed normal chromosomal integrity even in 250 mg/kg dose. When compared with control all the three extract treated groups showed increased ROS scavenging activity. However, group II (200 mg/kg) showed significant changes in all the parameters. From the present study it was confirmed that the M. pruriens has potential to improve the sperm qualitatively and quantitatively through scavenging the excess ROS with any adverse side effects. These observations suggest that ethanolic seed extract of M. pruriens may serve as anti-oxidant that can exploit to treat the oxidative stress mediated male factor infertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.70-73
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of subcutaneous granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for treating thin endometrium. Methods: Data from 88 infertile women with thin endometrium (<7 mm) aged 23 to 40 years were evaluated retrospectively over a period of 1 year. In group 1, subcutaneous infusion of G-CSF (300 ㎍/mL) was administered to 44 women along with other supplemental treatments. If the lining did not exceed 7 mm within 72 hours, a second infusion was administered. In group 2, which also had 44 women, only estradiol valerate and sildenafil were administered, while subcutaneous G-CSF infusion was not. Embryo transfers were performed once the lining exceeded 7.5 mm. The efficacy of G-CSF was evaluated by assessing the thickness of the endometrium before embryo transfer, pregnancy rates, and clinical pregnancy rates. Results: There were no differences between the groups regarding demographic variables, egg reserves, sperm parameters, the number of embryos transferred, and embryo quality. The pregnancy rate was significantly higher in group 1 (60%, 24 of 40 cases) than in group 2 (31%, 9 of 29 cases) (p<0.001). The clinical pregnancy rate was also significantly higher in group 1 (55%) than in group 2 (24%) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Subcutaneous G-CSF infusion improved the thickness of the endometrium when it was thin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented study to clearly demonstrate the benefits of subcutaneous G-CSF infusion for treating thin endometrium.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2007

Objective: To determine whether the presence of Y-chromosome microdeletion affects the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) program. Methods: Fourteen couples with microdeletion in azoospermic factor (AZF)c region who attempted IVF/ICSI or cryopreserved and thawed embryo transfer cycles were enrolled. All of the men showed severe oligoasthenoteratoazoospermia (OATS) or azoospermia. As a control, 12 couples with OATS or azoospermia and having normal Y-chromosome were included. Both groups were divided into two subgroups by sperm source used in ICSI such as those who underwent testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and those used ejaculate sperm. We retrospectively analyzed our database in respect to the IVF outcomes. The outcome measures were mean number of good quality embryos, fertilization rates, implantation rates, $\beta$-hCG positive rates, early pregnancy loss and live birth rates. Results: Mean number of good quality embryos, implantation rates, $\beta$-hCG positive rates, early pregnancy loss rates and live birth rates were not significantly different between Y-chromosome microdeletion and control groups. But, fertilization rates in the Y-chromosome microdeletion group (61.1%) was significantly lower than that of control group (79.8%, p=0.003). Also, the subgroup underwent TESE and having AZFc microdeletion showed significantly lower fertilization rates (52.9%) than the subgroup underwent TESE and having normal Y-chromosome (79.5%, p=0.008). Otherwise, in the subgroups used ejaculate sperm, fertilization rates were showed tendency toward lower in couples having Y-chromosome microdeletion than couples with normal Y-chromosome. (65.5% versus 79.9%, p=0.082). But, there was no significance statistically. Conclusions: In IVF/ICSI cycles using TESE sperm, presence of V-chromosome microdeletion may adversely affect to fertilization ability of injected sperm. But, in cases of ejaculate sperm available for ICSI, IVF outcome was not affected by presence of Y-chromosome AZFc microdeletion. However, more larger scaled prospective study was needed to support our results.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to determine effects of oviductal fluid on the sperm penetration and subsequent in vitro development of porcine oocytes. The addition of oviductal fluid to the fertilization medium decreased sperm pen etration and the mean number of spermatozoa in penetrated eggs. The number of spermatozoa firmly bound to zona pellucida was also decreased in the presence of oviductal fluid. Chlortetracy cline (CTC) fluorescence patterns were used to determine incidence of capacitation and acrosome reaction. The proportion of capacitated a and acrosome free spermatozoa increased when spermatozoa were exposed for 1.5 and 3 h to oviductal fluid. These results suggest that the factor(s) in secretion from the oviduct reduces polyspermic fertilization and the number of spermatozoa that will penetrate porcine oocytes. The reduction of polyspermic penetration by oviductal secretions may be due to a reduced number of spermatozoa in the fertilization me-dium into an intact acrosome.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1997

Spermatogenesis is known to be regulated by a number of genes and several factors such as hormones, growth factors, cytokines and others. This study was done to evaluate the relationship between HSPs and DAZ genes in human spermatogenesis; we observed the expression pattern of HSP gene in azoospermia men with DAZ gene that regulated the gene expression related with human spermatogenesis. RT-PCR method was used to detect DAZ, HSP70A, and HSP70B transcripts in all RNA samples. Total RNA was extracted from 21 testis tissues using TRIZOL reagent. cDNAs were synthesized with reverse transcriptase, AMV. All PCR reaction were performed on a PCR themocycler with DAZ, HSP70A, and HSP70B-specific primers. Semen analysis, karyotyping and testis histology were performed. DAZ gene, known as a candidate gene of azoospermia factor(AZF), was deleted in 2 of 21 patients. To evaluate the only effects of HSPs in this patients, 2 DAZ deleted cases were removed. We observed the mRNA of HSP70B in 5 whereas none could be seen with regard to HSP70A. Furthermore, the sperm of these 5 men were discovered to be immature. In conclusion, HSP70B as well ad DAZ gene seem to be involved causing spermatogenic failure. We suggest that HSP70B plays an important role in spermatogenesis and it is one of factors induced sperm maturation in human.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.319-324
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• 1997

Despite the direct placement of sperm within the oocyte, fertilization failure still occurs after ICSI. This study was accomplished to analyze the chromosomes in oocytes failed to fertilize after ICSI comparing to oocytes failed to fertilize by conventional in vitro insemination. Seventy-four ICSI cycles and 122 conventional IVF cycles were included in analysis. Included unfertilized oocytes were from 74 patients (mean age = $32.7{\pm}3.7$). Ninety-three oocytes were informative and 83 oocytes were legible for cytogenetic analysis. Sixty-two oocytes out of 83 (74.7%) had normal chroruosomes, while 15 (18.1%) were hypoploidy, 6 (7.2%) were hyperploidy. Eighteen oocytes out of 93 (17.6%) were premature chromosome condensation (PCC). Two hundred ninety-four unfertilized oocytes after conventional insemination were subjected to chromosomal analysis and 180 oocytes were legible for analysis. One hundred thirty-two oocytes out of 180 (73.3%) were normal, while 22 (12.2%) were hypoploidy, 20 (11.1%) were hyperploidy, and 6 (3.3%) were polyploidy. Twenty-two oocytes (12.2%) were PCC. There was no difference in chromosomes between oocytes that failed to fertilize after ICSI or conventional insemination. High PCC rates in fertilization-failed oocytes suggest that oocytes maturity is another important factor in achieving successful fertilization.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2024

Objective: Chronic scrotal hyperthermia (SHT) can lead to serious disorders of the male reproductive system, with oxidative stress playing a key role in the onset of these dysfunctions. Thus, we evaluated the impact of caffeine, a potent antioxidant, on cellular and tissue disorders in mice with chronic SHT. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male NMRI mice were allocated into seven equal groups. Apart from the non-treated control group, all were exposed to heat stress. Two groups, termed "preventive" and "curative," were orally administered caffeine. The preventive mice began receiving caffeine immediately prior to heat exposure, while for the curative group, a caffeine regimen was initiated 15 consecutive days following cessation of heat exposure. Each treated group was subdivided based on pairing with a positive control (Pre/ curative [Cur]+PC) or a vehicle (Pre/Cur+vehicle). Upon conclusion of the study, we assessed sperm characteristics, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, apoptosis, antioxidant and oxidant levels, and molecular markers. Results: Sperm parameters, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, biochemical factors (excluding malondialdehyde [MDA]), and c-kit gene expression were significantly elevated in the preventive and curative groups, especially the former, relative to the other groups. Conversely, expression levels of the heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κβ) genes, MDA levels, and apoptotic cell density were markedly lower in both caffeine-treated groups relative to the other groups, with more pronounced differences observed in the preventive group. Conclusion: Overall, caffeine attenuated cellular and molecular abnormalities induced by heat stress in the testis, particularly in the mice treated under the preventive condition.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.395-412
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• 1997

Mammalian eggs are ovulated arrested at meiotic metaphase II until fertilization. Generally in mammals, fertilization results in a series of intracellular calcium oscillations that are mediated by inositol triphosphate (IP$^3$) or cyclic adenosine diphosphoribose (cADPr). The high levels of maturation promotion factor (MPF) within the cell decrease, pronuclei form, the cytoskeleton is reorganized and proteins are post-translationally modified. If all is normal, the newly formed embryo initiates the developmental program specific to that species. Artificial methods of producing these effects in pig oocytes are discussed. One potential mechanism mediated via a signal transduction pathway is present in pig oocytes. Stimulation of this pathway leads to the early events following fertilization, and electrical stimulation leads to apparently normal de v velopment to day 12. Further studies are needed to determine which mechanism(s) the sperm uses to initiate development.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.213-221
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• 1998

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been widely used to treat couples with infertility due to severely impaired sperm charateristics and for whom conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) had failed. The extent to which the morphology of the oocyte at the light microscopy level is related to the results of ICSI vis controversial. In this study, oocytes from 44 patients were reviewed. The ICSI procedure was recorded through CCD camera. The oocytes were divided into five groups according to the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, the width of perivitelline space (PVS), the presence of cell debris in PVS, the status of first polar body and the flexibility of oolemma. The results showed that the fertilization rate and embryonic development were not associated with the morphological criteria of oocyte. The degeneraton rate of oocytes after ICSI was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the oocytes whose membranes were broken at the moment of insertion (17.7%) than the oocytes whose membranes were broken by aspiration of cytoplasm (1.6%). More oocytes with cytoplasmic inclusions (48.4% vs. 25.1%, p<0.001), wide PVS (35.2% vs. 19.0%, p<0.001), or cell debris in PVS (53.3% vs. 38.4%, p<0.05) were observed in patients with female factor infertility compared to patients with male factor infertility. These results .suggest that the fertilization rate and embryonic development after ICSI are not correlated with oocyte morphology based on the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, size of PVS, the presence of cell debris in PVS and the status of polar body. And the degeneration rate of oocytes after ICSI was associated with the flexibility of oolemma.