[Plasma concentration of biochemical markers in pre-eclampsia-eclampsia and its association with the severity of the disease]. / Concentración plasmática de indicadores bioquímicos en la preeclampsia-eclampsia y su asociación con la severidad de la patología.

UNLABELLED: It has been demonstrated that the concentrations of molecules related to endothelial cell dysfunction, coagulation and vasoconstriction are altered in preeclamptic patients, but they have not been evaluated in their relationship with the severity of preeclampsia. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between the plasmatic concentrations of fibronectin ED1+, antithrombin III, prostacyclin and thromboxane, and the severity of preeclampsia. METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 215 women in the third trimester of pregnancy, admitted to the Luis Castelazo Ayala Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital with mild preeclampsia (n = 103), severe preeclampsia (n = 71), HELLP syndrome (n = 25) or eclampsia (n = 16). Plasma aliquots were stored at -70 degrees C until analysis. Fibronectin ED1+ was measured by ELISA; antithrombin III activity was determined using an automated amidolytic technique, and the concentrations of the stable metabolites 6-keto-prostagiandin F1a and thromboxane B2 were measured by RIA. Statistical analysis included ANOVA and logistic regression. RESULTS: Maternal age was similar in all participants. Prematurity and low birth weight were present in the patients with severe preeclampsia, HELLP and eclampsia. The values for fibronectin were similar among the 4 groups of patients. Antithrombin III activity was significantly lower in the patients with HELLP. In patients with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, prostacyclin (Pc) and thromboxane (Tbx) concentrations were significantly higher, and the Pc/Tbx ratio was lower than in patients with mild preeclampsia. Those patients who had the highest thromboxane levels and the lowest Pc/Tbx ratio had a higher chance to develop severe preeclampsia or HELLP (5 times), as well as to have premature babies (12 times) than patients with mild preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates relationships among antithrombin III activity, prostacyclin and thromboxane concentrations, and the severity of preeclampsia. These compounds were significantly more altered in patients with HELLP syndrome, probably due to a higher organic and vascular dysfunction. Plasma determination of these compounds may be valuable as a tool in the screening of preeclampsia, and as an indicator of severity of the disease.

[The participation of apoptosis in the development and function of the male gonad]. / Participación de la apoptosis en el desarrollo y función de la gónada masculina.

The normal development and function of the male and female gonads is characterized by a massive cell decrease in which apoptosis plays a key role. This event is a controlled program of cell death, fundamental for development and homeostasis. In the male gonad up to 75% of the germinal cells undergo this process, probably as a mechanism to eliminate the germinal cells incompatible with the preservation of the species. It has been demonstrated the participation of the transforming growth factors beta 1 and beta 2, as well as the role of the Fas system, polypeptide and steroidal hormones in the regulation of this process. The study of apoptosis in physiological and pathological events among insects, nematodes and mammals has allowed to understand the role of genes, endonucleases and the deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation as part of the molecular mechanisms involved in this event. In this paper were analyzed the molecular mechanisms mentioned above, during different stages of the development and function of the male gonad.

[Evaluation and preparation of gametes]. / Evaluación y preparación de gametos.

The aim of this paper is to review some topics related to the management and evaluation of the male and female gametes to be used in any assisted reproduction procedure. First, the international criteria for the quantitative morphological and biochemical evaluation of the semen samples are presented, both for the initial analysis and when chosen procedure is performed. Next, we discuss the biochemical characteristics of the solutions used to in vitro induce capacitation and acrosome reaction, indispensable events previous to the in vivo or in vitro interaction of the gametes. We also present the methodology for the in vitro management of the spermatozoa and to evaluate the efficiency of these cells to achieve in vitro acrosome reaction, as well as the utilization of the zone-free hamster egg penetration test to evaluate the human sperm capacity to penetrate the female gamete. Finally, the morphological characteristics of the cumulus oophorus-corona radiate-zona pellucida-vitellus complexes are analyzed, as well as the biochemical and hormonal composition aspiration, in order to assess the quality of the recovered oocytes, their probabilities to be fertilized and their potential to develop into subsequent stages which culminate with the birth of full term, viable and healthy babies.

Estudio cuantitativo de movilidad y reaccion acrosomal en espermatozoides de individuos euspermicos y oligozoospermicos infertiles. / Quantitative study of mobility and achrosomal reaction in spermatozoa in euspermic and infertile oligospermic subjects

Debido a que consideramos que la capacidad fertilizante del gameto masculino depende de una estricta correlacion estructura-funcion, mas que del numero de espermatozoides presentes en el semen humano, estudiamos comparativamente las caracteristicas cuantitativas de la movilidad y la reaccion acrosomal en espermatozoides eyaculados de 10 individuos euspermicos y 10 individuos oligozoospermicos. Se conjugo tanto un metodo fotografico de exposicion multiple, asi como la capacitacion reaccion acrosonal in vitro con una tecnica histoquimica de triple tincion, con la finalidad de que estas expresiones de funcion espermatica traduzcan las alteraciones subcelulares y/o funcionales de la incapacidad fertilizante de esta celula.Nuestros resultados indicaron que tanto la movilidad como la reaccion acrosomal estan significativamente disminuidas en el gameto masculino de los individuos olizoospermicos infertiles. Por lo tanto proponemos que la espermatobioscopia debe integrarse el estudio objetivo de la movilidad y la reaccion acrosomal espermatica para una mayor precision en el diagnostico y pronostico del varon infertil