Large nuclear vacuoles in spermatozoa negatively affect pregnancy rate in IVF cycles

Recently, motile sperm organelle morphology examination [MSOME] criteria as a new real time tool for evaluation of spermatozoa in intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] cycles has been considered. The aim was to investigate the predictive value of MSOME in in vitro fertilization [IVF] in comparison to ICSI cycles and evaluation of the association between MSOME parameters and traditional sperm parameters in both groups. This is a cross sectional prospective analysis of MSOME parameters in IVF [n=31] and ICSI cycles [n=35]. MSOME parameters were also evaluated as the presence of vacuole [none, small, medium, large or mix]; head size [normal, small or large]; cytoplasmic droplet; head shape and acrosome normality. In sub-analysis, MSOME parameters were compared between two groups with successful or failed clinical pregnancy in each group. In IVF group, the rate of large nuclear vacuole showed significant increase in failed as compared to successful pregnancies [13.81 +/- 9.7vs7.38 +/- 4.4, respectively, p=0.045] while MSOME parameters were the same between successful and failed pregnancies in ICSI group. Moreover, a negative correlation was noticed between LNV and sperm shape normalcy. In ICSI group, a negative correlation was established between cytoplasmic droplet and sperm shape normalcy. In addition, there was a positive correlation between sperm shape normalcy and non-vacuolated spermatozoa. The high rate of large nuclear vacuoles in sperm used in IVF cycles with failed pregnancies confirms that MSOME, is a helpful tool for fine sperm morphology assessment, and its application may enhance the assisted reproduction technology success rates

Angiogenesis following three-dimensional culture of isolated human endometrial stromal cells

Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity and is the most common gynecologic disorder in women of reproductive age. We have preliminary evidence that in the presence of a 3-dimensional [3-D] fibrin matrix, human endometrial glands, stroma, and neovascularization can develop in vitro, mimicking the earliest stages of endometriosis. The aim of the present study was to determine if angiogenesis can be developed in a 3-D culture of human stromal cells in vitro. This was an in vitro study of human endometrial biopsies in 3-D culture of fibrin matrix and conducted at a university affiliated infertility center. Biopsies were taken from ten normal ovulating women undergoing infertility treatment. The samples obtained from fundus of the uterine cavity were minced, stromal cells isolated and placed in a 3-D fibrin matrix culture system. Degree of proliferation of stromal cells, invasion of the fibrin matrix, gland formation, vessel sprouting and immunohistochemical characterization of cellular components were recorded. Three-dimensional culture of human stromal cells formed sheets of cells in the fibrin matrix. By 3-4 weeks, endothelial cell branching was observed and rudimentary capillary-like structures formed and endothelial cells confirmed by CD31 immunostaining. These data show that stromal cells from endometrial explants can proliferate and invade a fibrin matrix in vitro generating new vessels. This procedure represents a controlled, quantifiable model for the study of angiogenesis during the menstrual cycle, and in conditions such as endometriosis and cancer