Morphology of Postcoital Spermatozoa in the Cervical Secretion and its Clinical Significance

Fredricsson, B.; Björk, G.

doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(16)42738-x

Cited by 74 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…These studies showed the existence of a strong relationship between morphological abnormalities of the sperm heads and inadequate mucus sperm penetration. This is in agreement with previous experiments performed by analyzing standard sperm parameters (31,32). However the results showed that sperm morphology is only one element involved in the sperm-mucus interaction and that this process can be regulated by many other parameters.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Human Cervical Mucus Can Act in Vitro as a Selective Barrier Against Spermatozoa Carrying Fragmented Dna and Chromatin Structural Abnormalities

Bianchi

Agostini

Fournier

et al. 2004

J Assist Reprod Genet

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Purpose : We have carried out experiments to determine if human cervical mucus can act as an in vitro selective barrier against spermatozoa morphologically normal that carry genetic structural abnormalities. Methods : Sperm chromatin abnormalities have been evaluated by Chromomycin A 3 and "endogenous" nick translation. Results : The data obtained have shown that spermatozoa possessing higher levels of DNA protamination are more proficient in crossing the cervical mucus barrier. Moreover, the levels of positivity to endogenous nick translation treatment was practically zero in such spermatozoa. Conclusions : We suggest that sperm penetration of cervical mucus could be used to select sperm preparations free of fragmented DNA or chromatin structural abnormalities for assisted reproduction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Human Cervical Mucus Can Act in Vitro as a Selective Barrier Against Spermatozoa Carrying Fragmented Dna and Chromatin Structural Abnormalities

Bianchi

Agostini

Fournier

et al. 2004

J Assist Reprod Genet

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“…Similarly, antibodies secreted into the mucus can link to penetrating sperm, causing an analogous impediment to motion. The interaction of human seminal sperm with cervical mucus, both in vivo and in vitro, is characterized by significant reductions in the number of morphologically abnormal cell types that penetrate [Perry et al, 1977;Fredricsson and Bjork, 1977; Hanson and Overstreet, 198 13. Morphologically abnormal human sperm, as a group, have inferior motility compared with normal sperm in the same ejaculate Katz et al, 1982b; Morales et al, 1988a, b].…”

Section: The Properties Of the Sperm Surface Can Modulate Its Transpomentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors regulating mammalian sperm migration through the female reproductive tract and oocyte vestments

1989

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Mechanisms of mammalian sperm migration through the female reproductive tract and ovum vestments are described. The perspective is biophysical as well as biochemical and morphological, and the focus is upon the role of sperm motility in these processes. Sperm forward progression is characterized as an interactive process between the the cell and its environment, and the mediation of flagellar bend propagation by the physical properties of its surroundings is described. These properties, together with flagellar beat kinematics, sperm morphology, and surface properties, determine the magnitude of the forces generated by sperm and their consequent rate of progression. Sperm interactions with the cervical mucus, the cumulus oophorus, and the zona pellucida are described. The poorly understood affinity of the sperm surface for the macromolecules of the mucus, cumulus, and zona is stressed, as is the viscoelastic structural mechanical resistance of these biopolymers to sperm motion. The kinematics and consequences of hyperactivated sperm motion are presented, with emphasis on objective characterization of such motion (as a biomarker), along with analysis of the mechanical advantage that such motion may confer on spermatozoa during egg-vestment interaction. Key words: sperm, transport, mucus, cumulus, zona pellucida, fertilization INTRODUCTIONFlagellar movement is a fundamental expression of the vitality of a sperm cell, and is essential for its reproductive function. The active mechanism of flagellar motion produces a sequence of principal and reverse bends [Gibbons and Gibbons, 1974; Woolley, 19771. These can have varying degrees of curvature and can be initiated and propagated along the flagellum at different rates. Flagellar bending results in a distribution of local forces and torques against the surrounding fluid. In accordance with Newton's Third Law, these are resisted by equal and opposite local forces and torques. In order to satisfy Newton's Second Law, the summation of the local local external forces and torques over the sperm head and tail must be zero. As a consequence, there Received November 8, 1988; accepted November 17, 1988. Address reprint requests to David F. Katz In a general biophysical sense, mammalian sperm swim optimally; the principles of hydrodynamics and optimal control theory demonstrate that the smooth flagellar traveling waves, commonly seen in low-viscosity media, tend to maximize the sperm's propulsive velocity with respect to the hydrodynamic power output (Pironneau and Katz, 1974). Mammalian sperm must use their swimming ability to reach the oocyte-cumulus complex, and the forces due to flagellar motion assist them in penetrating the egg vestments to reach the oolemma.Our studies of these processes are hampered by their complexity and by apparent variation among species. Some of this biological variation is real; for example, the site of semen deposition may be the vagina, cervix, or uterus. These environments differ not only with respect to their distance from the site of ferti...

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“…In vivo, cervical mucus plays a part in the selection of morphologically normal spermatozoa for further migration through the female reproductive tract (Bergman, 1955;Fredricsson & Bjork, 1977; Moghissi, 1977;Perry et al, 1977;Hanson & Overstreet, 1981;Mortimer et al, 1982;Ragni et al, 1985). However, this selection by cervical mucus is not effective against all types of abnormal spermatozoa, in particular, spermatozoa with only abnormal heads can penetrate cervical mucus (Fredricsson & Bjork, 1977;Mortimer et al, 1982;Ragni et al, 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, this selection by cervical mucus is not effective against all types of abnormal spermatozoa, in particular, spermatozoa with only abnormal heads can penetrate cervical mucus (Fredricsson & Bjork, 1977;Mortimer et al, 1982;Ragni et al, 1985). Ahlgren et al (1974) reported that spermatozoa recovered from the ampulla of the oviduct, fimbria or pouch of Douglas had better morphology than those in the semen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphology of spermatozoa bound to the zona pellucida of human oocytes that failed to fertilize in vitro

Liu¹,

Baker²

1992

Reproduction

127

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Summary. The morphology of spermatozoa bound to the zona pellucida (ZP) of 264 oocytes that had failed to fertilize in 58 in vitro fertilization procedures was studied by light microscopy. The percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology bound to the ZP (mean 77, range 8\p=n-\100) was significantly higher than in the insemination medium (mean 42, range 2\p=n-\80). The abnormal spermatozoa bound to the ZP had small oval (47%), pyriform (46%), amorphous (5%) and tapering (2%) heads. Other abnormalities of morphology were not observed in ZP-bound spermatozoa. The mean rates of binding to the ZP of spermatozoa with normal morphology (44, 95% confidence limits 42\p=n-\46,number bound/ZP/105/ml inseminated) were much higher than for abnormal spermatozoa with small oval 6\m=.\5 (5\ m=. \ 5\ p=n-\ 7\ m=. \ 6), pyriform 5\ m=. \ 9 (4\ m=. \ 8\ p=n-\ 7\ m=. \ 3), amorphous 1\m=.\0 (0\ m=. \ 5\ p=n-\ 2\ m=. \ 0) and tapering 2\m=.\5 (1\ m=. \ 2\ p=n-\ 5\ m=. \ 3) heads. The morphologically abnormal forms not found on the ZP were infrequent in the insemination medium (tail defects, large oval, round, pin and duplicate heads and cytoplasmic droplets) but upper 95% confidence limits for standardized binding ratios of <60% indicated that these were unlikely to bind to the zona with rates approaching those of normal spermatozoa (standardized binding ratio 180%). A large number of uniformly normal spermatozoa bound to the ZP when the percentage normal morphology in the insemination medium was >40%. The proportions of abnormal spermatozoa on the ZP were significantly correlated with the proportions of abnormal spermatozoa in the insemination medium. Spermatozoon head dimensions were measured with a micrometer in samples from 14 patients. While there were no consistent changes in all samples, the means for head width and area were significantly larger and the ratio of the length to width was smaller for spermatozoa on the ZP than for those in the insemination medium. The head length and ratio of length to width of spermatozoa in samples with good morphology were significantly less than in samples with poor morphology. The percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology, motility and the ratio of head length to width in the insemination medium were positively correlated with the percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology bound to the ZP. Logistic regression analysis showed that the diagnosis of tubal infertility and the rate of binding of spermatozoa with normal morphology to the ZP were positively related to fertilization rates in vitro while the rate of binding of spermatozoa with pyriform heads was negatively related. In conclusion, human ZP are highly selective for spermatozoa with normal morphology. The frequency of binding of abnormal spermatozoa to the ZP was mainly dependent on semen quality. Detailed analysis of spermatozoa bound to the ZP should be useful for determining the range of morphology characteristics of spermatozoa with good or poor fertilizing potential.

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Morphology of Postcoital Spermatozoa in the Cervical Secretion and its Clinical Significance

Cited by 74 publications

References 7 publications

Human Cervical Mucus Can Act in Vitro as a Selective Barrier Against Spermatozoa Carrying Fragmented Dna and Chromatin Structural Abnormalities

Human Cervical Mucus Can Act in Vitro as a Selective Barrier Against Spermatozoa Carrying Fragmented Dna and Chromatin Structural Abnormalities

Factors regulating mammalian sperm migration through the female reproductive tract and oocyte vestments

Morphology of spermatozoa bound to the zona pellucida of human oocytes that failed to fertilize in vitro

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