[Advantages of cryopreservation technology for rare human sperm].

OBJECTIVE: To search for an effective method for cryopreservation of rare human sperm (RHS) by comparing the effect of RHS cryopreservation technology with that of conventional cryopreservation technology on post-thaw sperm from patients with severe oligozoospermia. METHODS: Semen samples obtained from 82 patients with severe oligozoospermia were preserved by RHS cryopreservation technology, and another 24 samples cryopreserved by conventional technology, the former divided into groups A (sperm concentration < 1×106/ml, n = 54) and B (1×106/ml ≤ sperm concentration < 5×106/ml, n = 28), and the latter included in group C (sperm concentration < 15×106 /ml, n = 24). The survival rate of post-thaw sperm and recovery rate of progressively motile sperm (PMS) were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: The survival rate of post-thaw sperm was significantly higher in groups A and B than in C (ï¼»62.8 ± 18.7ï¼½% and ï¼»61.9 ± 17.2ï¼½% vs ï¼»50.7 ± 13.5ï¼½%, P < 0.05), and so was the recovery rate of PMS (ï¼»68.7 ± 18.4ï¼½% and ï¼»70.7 ± 15.5ï¼½% vs ï¼»29.2 ± 12.4ï¼½% , P < 0.05), but there were no statistically significant differences between groups A and B in either of the two parameters (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The cryopreservation technology for rare human sperm may yield relatively stable post-thaw results and deserves a wide clinical application in preserving male fertility.

[Influencing factors of sperm membrane fluidity].

Sperm membrane fluidity is one of the causes of male infertility, and it is thought to be related with temperature, reactive oxygen species, oxygen free radicals, anti-sperm antibodies, stilbestrol, and fenvalerate. A deeper insight into the influencing factors of sperm membrane fluidity is of vital importance for in vitro sperm preservation, revival of frozen-thawed sperm, in vitro fertilization and management of male infertility.

[Xianling Gubao Capsule improves semen quality].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of the compound Chinese traditional drug Xianling Gubao Capsule on the semen quality of infertile males. METHODS: We treated 66 infertile men with Xianling Gubao Capsule for 24 months, and analyzed the semen quality and sperm morphology before and after the treatment. RESULTS: Two months after the medication, sperm concentration was increased by a small margin, but no statistically significant changes were observed in sperm vitality and motility (P > 0.05), the rate of morphologically normal sperm was significantly raised from 25.8% before treatment to 57.6% (P < 0.05) in those with the normal rate > or = 15%, but decreased from 53.0% to 25.8% (P < 0.05) in those with the normal rate < 9%. Among the 7 cases of oligospermia, the rate of morphologically normal sperm was elevated to an average of 10.9% after the 4-month medication, significantly different from the baseline rate of 5.8% (P < 0.05). Five spontaneous pregnancies and 1 successful IVF-ICSI were achieved during the treatment. CONCLUSION: Xianling Gubao Capsule can improve semen quality and significantly increase the percentage of morphologically normal sperm.

[Influence of cryoprotectant with glycerol and freezing-thawing procedure on the motility of human sperm].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of cryoprotectant with glycerol and the freezing-thawing procedure on the motility of METHODS: The motion characteristics of human sperm from 18 selected specimens were assessed by computer-assisted human sperm. sperm analysis before and after adding hyper-osmolarity cryoprotectant with glycerol and the freeze-thaw procedure, and the data were evaluated in pairs. RESULTS: The adding of cryoprotectant caused an increase in the proportion of rapid linear motile sperms (P < 0.05) and sperm velocities, including VCL, VSL and VAP (P < 0.005). But no changes were observed in the proportion of progressively motile sperms and sperm motility. Compared with the data from pre-frozen samples, velocities of post-thawed sperms and the percentage of motile sperms in each grade significantly declined (P < or = 0.01), so did ALH, while WOB, LIN and STR remained unchanged (P > 0.05). Significant differences in ALH, WOB, LIN and STR were observed only in comparison between the post-thawed and pre-treated samples. CONCLUSION: The number of Grade a sperms and sperm velocity increased after adding hyper-osmolarity cryoprotectant with glycerol. The sperm motile potential was impaired and even entirely destroyed in some cases by cryodamage. The influences on the sperm motion were differently induced in freezing-thawing procedures.

[Semen quality and sperm morphologic study of infertile men with varicocele].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the semen quality and the sperm morphology in infertile men with varicocele. METHODS: Semen from 98 infertile men with varicocele were studied and those of 130 normal semen donors were taken as the control. Semen analysis was performed based on the methods described in the WHO manual and sperm morphology was evaluated by WHO criteria. RESULTS: A significantly reduced percentage of normal morphologic sperm and of forward progression were found in patients with varicocele comparing with those of the control (P <0.001). The head defects were observed as the predominant type of sperm malformation. CONCLUSION: The varicocele increases malformed sperm in ejaculates, which may result from impaired male fertility by varicocele. Sperm morphologic assessment with WHO criteria provides a sensitive and practical measurement of sperm damage in infertile men with varicocele.