ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the relationship between clue cell in semen and male infertility. Method Semen specimens from 957 patients were examined with microscope. Gram staining was performed when clue cell were found to be present in semen. At the same time, general characteristics of the sperm were analyzed. Results There were clue cells in 23. 5% (225/957) of the total specimens, in which, 95. 1% clue cells were gram staining positive. The concentration and vitality of living sperm in semen presented with clue cell were significantly lower, but the abnormal sperm and pH value were much higher than that in normal control (P<0.01). In addition, 28 sexual partners of 30 infertility patients were identified as having bacterial vaginosis. Conclusion Gardnerella vaginalis and short coccohacillus were mostly transmitted from infected sexual partner. It could cause squamous epithelial cell forming clue cell, and lead to infertility by chan-ging pH which mainly affect reproduction of the sperm. This study suggested that clue cell has a unique vale for the diagnosis of infertility causing by Gardnerella vaginalis and short coccohacillus.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the function of zinc in preventing human sperm from being damaged by sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an external NO donor.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Analyses were made of the function of zinc in protecting sperm from being influenced by SNP in such aspects as sperm motility, head-tail connection and the breakage of sperm DNA chain by using phase-contrast microscope and single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sperm motility was obviously inhibited by SNP. The percentage of comet cells increased significantly but the stability of sperm head-tail connection decreased. Zinc could promote sperm motility, protect the DNA chain and prevent the sperm head-tail connection from breaking.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Zinc can protect sperm from being damaged by NO. Its mechanism may be related to the mercaptol group of sperm chromatin.</p>