• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.800-807
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• 2006

This study examined the possibility of using a tissue cultured root of wild Panax ginseng (tcwPG) as a fertility agent. The effect of tcwPG on spermatogenesis was studied using male rats. The tcwPG crude powder was administered orally to 7-week-old rats over a 6-week period. The number of sperm in the testes and epididymides was significantly higher than the control. A histological examination did not reveal any morphological changes in the testes from the tcwPG powder treated rats. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the weights of the heart, spleen, liver, kidney, brain, testes and epididymides. Oligospermia was also induced by administering 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodaibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) to the rats in order to estimate the feasibility of using tcwPG as treatment for infertility caused by spermatogenic disorders. After exposing the rats to TCDD, the tcwPG saponin fraction treated rats showed some improvement in the body weight, sperm number and testis morphology. It was estimated that tcwPG had feasibility as a therapeutic agent on spermatogenic disorder.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2009

To investigate the morphological characteristics of spermatozoa of the grey red-blacked vole (Clethrionomys rufocanus) belongings to the subfamily Cricetinae, subgenus Clethrionomys were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The sperm head of C. rufocanus was an ax or hatchet in shape with a curved single dorsal hook. The total length of C. regulus sperm was 95.8 ${\mu}m$. The length of sperm head was 7.8 ${\mu}m$, and the tail (88.0 ${\mu}m$) consisted of four major segments: the neck (1.0 ${\mu}m$), middle piece (22.0 ${\mu}m$), and principal piece plus end piece (65.0 ${\mu}m$), respectively. The segmented columns were about 10~12 in number. The number of gyres of mitochondria ranged from about 170 to 178. The post-nuclear cap occupied about a half of nucleus. The equatorial segment is located between the post-nuclear cap segment and acrosomal cap on the nuclear surface. Nos. 1, 5 and 6 of the outer dense fibers were larger than the others. A fibrous sheath and longitudinal column of the principal piece were in evidence, but the fibrous sheath was not seen at the end piece. In conclusion, the morphological structures of sperm head and tail may be useful information to patterning of sperm evolution and classifying of species.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2001

OSBA(oocytes-sperm binding assay) is a tool developed for rapid test of optimal condition of IVF medium and protein source by binding ability of mouse sperm and egg. Mouse oocyte-cumulus complexes were prepared by removing of the cumulus cells with 0.1% hyaluronidase. 10$\pm$2 oocytes per 30 ${mu}ell$ medium drop were inseminated with 3 ${mu}ell$ sperm suspension and were cultured f3r 3 hours and 24 hours, respectively. And the oocytes were recovered gently and the No. of sperm bound on oocytes were counted. In the Exp. 1, the ratio of oocytes bound with one sperm at least were 60.2%(50/83), 2%(2/77) and 100%(79/79) in the medium with no protein, FBS(15%, v/v) and BSA(0.4%. w/v), respectively, Fetal bovine serum(FBS) seriously inhibited sperm binding on oocyte, although bovine serum albumin(BSA) promoted the binding ability. The inhibiting effect of FBS was dependent on the concentration of FBS. The sperm binding ability according to oocyte maturity was tested in the Exp. 2. There was no significant difference between Met. II (mature) and Met. I (intermediate mature) oocytes in the number of oocytes bound with sperm and the number of sperm bound on oocytes. Finally, in Exp. 3, two batches of Ham's F10 medium with good and poor quality by OSBA were tested (The ratios of embryos developed from PN 1-cell stage to hatched blastocyst; 25% vs. 70%). In the medium with good quality, sperm binding ability was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05). The ratio of oocytes bound with one sperm at least was 66% and 90% in the medium with poor and good quality, respectively. Conclusively, It was possible to test IVF medium condition rapidly and easily by OSBA.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the result of in vivo embryo collection and pregnancy rate after embryo transfer using sex-sorted sperm of Korean brindle cattle. Donor Korean brindle cattle superovulation treated by decreasing dose of FSH injection. Embryos were recovered on 7 days after the third artificial insemination. Control group semen straw used artificial insemination contained 20 million sperm. Sex-sorted semen straws contained 4 million sperm or 10 million sperm. As for the result of the recovery of the in vivo embryos derived from sex-sorted sperm, the number of transferable embryos was significantly highly recovered to be $6.20{\pm}2.28/donor$ from the control group and was significantly lowly recovered to be $1.57{\pm}1.72/donor$ from the group treated at a sperm concentration of $10{\times}10^6$ (p<0.05). The number of unfertilized embryo was $0.8{\pm}1.30/donor$ in control group which was significantly lower than the group treated at a sperm concentration of $4{\times}10^6$ (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the number of undeveloped ova between control and treatment groups. Pregnancy rate after embryo transfer was shown to be 35.00% in control group and 12.50% in treatment group. The karyotype analysis of the calf derived from sex-sorted sperm resulted in a similar chromosomal distribution pattern (2n=60, XX) compared to those of common Korean native cattle.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2002

3-Monochloro-1,2-propanediol(3-MCPD) is currently being a matter of concern because of its toxicity. 3-MCPD produced during the acid hydrolysis of soybean products has been reported to be mutagenic, neurotoxic, nephrotoxic and spermatotoxic. Howerer, the carcinogenicity of 3-MCPD is a controversial issue over the past several decades. 3-MCPD characteristically showed a variety of toxicities in reproductive system such as, decrease in sperm number and sperm motility, infertility, loss of sperm function, and weight decrease in ovary. Due to the toxicity of 3-MCPD, exposure to 3-MCPD has been proposed to be reduced to as low a level as technologically feasible. 3-MCPD can be detected in soy sauce or non-soy sauce products. The legal limit for 3-MCPD this year has been suggested to be 20 ppb（$\mu\textrm{g}$/kg）in the European Community. In Korea, the permissible level of 3-MCPD is expected to be 0.3 ppm. In this study, 3-MCPD was toxicologically evaluated in terms of risk assessment in humans.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2021

Background: There are no guidelines for the optimal incubation time or temperature to improve pregnancy outcomes in testicular sperm extraction-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESE-ICSI) cycles. We aimed to evaluate whether a 24-hour in vitro culture of testicular spermatozoa affects pregnancy outcomes in TESE-ICSI cycles. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 83 TESE-ICSI cycles using testicular spermatozoa in 46 couples with male partners suffering from nonobstructive or obstructive azoospermia. Sperm retrieval was performed either on the oocyte retrieval (OR) day (65 cycles in 33 couples; group A) or on the day before OR (18 cycles in 13 couples; group B) followed by in vitro culture for 24 hours. The clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, including the number of retrieved oocytes, fertilization rates, embryo transfer rates, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates, were compared between the two groups. Results: There were no differences in terms of clinical characteristics except for the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in males. Group B had higher LH levels than group A (4.56±1.24 IU/L vs. 3.67±1.07 IU/L, p= 0.017). Group B showed higher fertilization rate (72.4%±32.1% vs. 59.2%±21.7%, p=0.045), implantation rate (35.0%±34.1% vs. 14.0%±21.5%, p=0.010), pregnancy rate per cycle (80% vs. 39%, p=0.033), and clinical pregnancy rate per cycle (80% vs. 37.5%, p=0.024) than those of group A. Conclusion: Testicular sperm retrieval performed on the day before OR followed by in vitro culture can potentially improve pregnancy outcomes.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.185-195
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in couples with unexplained infertility. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 145 couples who underwent ICSI cycles for unexplained infertility. Based on the SDF rate, patients were categorized into a low SDF group (SDF ≤30%, n=97) and a high SDF group (SDF >30%, n=48). SDF was assessed using the acridine orange test on density gradient centrifugation prepared samples. The CLBR was calculated as the first live birth event per woman per egg collection over 2 years. Results: The high SDF group (SDF >30%) showed a significantly lower CLBR (p<0.05) and a significantly higher miscarriage rate (p<0.05) than the low SDF group (SDF ≤30%). No significant difference was observed in the implantation and cumulative pregnancy rates between the two SDF groups. The total number of embryo transfers was stratified further into fresh and frozen embryo transfers. In the fresh embryo transfers, there were significant differences in the implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates, and live birth rates (p<0.05) between the low SDF and high SDF groups. However, in the frozen embryo transfers, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two groups. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, SDF was a predictor of CLBR (p<0.05) when adjusted for possible confounding factors. Conclusion: High SDF was associated with a lower CLBR and a higher miscarriage rate in the ICSI cycles of couples with unexplained infertility.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2024

Objective: Testicular fat deposition has been reported to affect animal reproduction. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. The present study explored whether sperm meiosis and testosterone synthesis contribute to mouse testicular fat deposition-induced reproductive performance. Methods: High fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity CD1 mice (DIO) were used as a testicular fat deposition model. The serum hormone test was performed by agent kit. The quality of sperm was assessed using a Sperm Class Analyzer. Testicular tissue morphology was analyzed by histochemical methods. The expression of spermatocyte marker molecules was monitored by an immuno-fluorescence microscope during meiosis. Analysis of the synthesis of testosterone was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and reagent kit. Results: It was found that there was a significant increase in body weight among DIO mice, however, the food intake showed no difference compared to control mice fed a normal diet (CTR). The number of offspring in DIO mice decreased, but there was no significant difference from the CTR group. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone were lower in DIO mice and their luteinizing hormone levels were similar. The results showed a remarkable decrease in sperm density and motility among DIO mice. We also found that fat accumulation affected the meiosis process, mainly reflected in the cross-exchange of homologous chromosomes. In addition, overweight increased fat deposition in the testis and reduced the expression of testosterone synthesis-related enzymes, thereby affecting the synthesis and secretion of testosterone by testicular Leydig cells. Conclusion: Fat accumulation in the testes causes testicular cell dysfunction, which affects testosterone hormone synthesis and ultimately affects sperm formation.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2019

The study was conducted to investigate the acute and sub-acute toxicity effect of Aquilaria malaccensis leaves aqueous extract (AEAM) towards male ICR mice in terms of body weight, relative organ weight, mortality rate and sperm parameters. In acute toxicity study, a single dose at of 2000 mg/kg was performed. In sub-acute toxicity study, the mice were received normal saline (control group), 50, 100, 150, 200, 500, or 1000 mg/kg of AEAM orally for 21 days of treatment. In sub-acute toxicity study, the number of abnormal sperm were significantly decreased in AEAM 100, 150, 200, 500, and 1000 when compared to the control group. While, the motility of sperm were found to be significantly increased in AEAM 100, 150, 200, and 1000 as compared to the control group. No mortality was recorded in the control group and treated groups in both toxicity studies except for one mouse from AEAM 1000 group. However, the mild sedative effect in terms of the tendency to sleep was clearly noticeable in both toxicity studies. Results indicated that the AEAM can be one of the useful alternative medicine to enhance fertility rate by increasing healthy sperm production.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the general characteristics such as concentration sperm motility and abnormality of sperm on the whole epididymal semen(EWS), RSP-S(removed seminal plasma by saline) and RSP-T(removed seminal plasma by tris-buffer) semen and survival rates after freezing on motility of whole and RSP-S and RSP-T semen and extender containing 2~8% glycerol, and ability of frozen-thawed sperm to penetrate homologous oocytes. 1. The concentration, motility and abnormality of epididymal WES, RSP-S and RSP-T sperm were 4.25 $\pm$ 0.25($\times$10$^{6}$ Cells/$m\ell$), 3.85$\pm$0.20($\times$10$^{6}$ Cells/$m\ell$), 4.05 $\pm$ 0.28($\times$10$^{6}$ Cells/$m\ell$), 50.55 $\pm$ 2.75%, 67.25 $\pm$ 2.55%, 78.75 $\pm$ 3.55 and 9.45 $\pm$ 2.25%, 37.75 $\pm$ 2.10%, 24.25 $\pm$ 1.55%, respectively. 2. The survival rates of slow and rapid frozen epididymal RSP-S and RSP-T sperm were 35.00 $\pm$ 2.35%, 45.50 $\pm$ 2.15％ and 16.50 $\pm$ 3.55%, 22.55 $\pm$ 3.95%, respectively. The survival rate of epididymal WES and RSP-T sperm after freezing following dilution with tris-buffer containing 2~8% glycerol were 9.25 $\pm$ 1.55%~17.50 $\pm$ 2.50%. 3. The percentage of capacitated and acrosome-reacted sperm prier to culture for fresh and frozen -thawed epididymal RSP-T semen were 45.25 $\pm$ 5.75%, 7.06 $\pm$ 0.25%, 48.20 $\pm$ 6.80% and 13.00 $\pm$ 2.35%, 3.55 $\pm$ 0.85%, 15.50 $\pm$ 1.90%, respectively. The penetration rate the number of sperm per penetrated for fresh and frozen-thawed epididymal RSP-T sperm were 39.25 $\pm$ 4.72%, 34.24 $\pm$ 3.93% and 1.30 $\pm$ 0.33, 1.10 $\pm$ 0.50., respectively.