Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of human spermatozoa to penetrate methylcellulose (MC) and to compare this with penetration in hyaluronic acid.
METHODS: Spermatozoa from normal (>or=20 x 10(6) sperm/ml, >or=50% progressive motility, >or=5% normal forms) and oligozoospermic (<20 x 10(6) sperm/ml) semen samples were allowed to swim into glass capillary tubes containing methylcellulose with a viscosity of 15 centipoise (cp) (MC15) and 4000 cp (MC4000), hyaluronic acid (rooster comb) or Sperm Select. Penetration of the spermatozoa at 1, 2, 3 and 4 cm were correlated with basic semen parameters (concentration, motility and morphology). The effects of temperature on penetration into MC4000 were explored at 17-37 degrees C.
RESULTS: Higher numbers of spermatozoa penetrated MC4000 (10 mg/ml) compared with MC15 and the hyaluronic acid preparations. There was a highly significant correlation between the number of spermatozoa at all migration distances in MC4000 (10 mg/ml) and semen parameters. Increases in temperature from 17-37 degrees C were accompanied by significantly higher numbers of spermatozoa at each penetration distance. MC4000 at 10 mg/ml was at least as favourable to sperm penetration as human cervical mucus. Effective discrimination between normal and abnormal samples was achieved using MC4000 (10 mg/ml).
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the potential use of methylcellulose (MC4000, 10 mg/ml) as a reproducible and effective alternative to hyaluronic acid in sperm migration tests.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 143-149 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Human Reproduction |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2002 |
Keywords
- Cervix Mucus
- False Positive Reactions
- Female
- Humans
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Infertility, Male/diagnosis
- Male
- Methylcellulose
- Oligospermia/pathology
- ROC Curve
- Reproducibility of Results
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Sperm Motility
- Sperm-Ovum Interactions
- Temperature
- Viscosity