• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2008

Objective: To compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa in patients with azoospermia. Methods: One hundred and nine cycles (66 couples) where ICSI was planned with fresh or cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa were included in this study; Ninety two cycles (61 couples) with fresh testicular spermatozoa (fresh group) and seventeen cycles (13 couples) with cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa (cryopreserved-thawed group). We compared ICSI outcomes such as fertilization rate, implantation rate, pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate, which were statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. Results: In 9 out of the 92 cycles where ICSI was planned with fresh testicular spermatozoa, testicular spermatozoa could not be retrieved. Fertilization rate tended to be higher in the fresh group than in the cryopreserved-thawed group ($58.0{\pm}27.8%$ vs. $45.9{\pm}25.0%$, p=0.076). The number of high quality embryos was significantly higher in the fresh group ($0.9{\pm}1.2$ vs. $0.2{\pm}0.5$, p=0.002). However, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that although the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm for ICSI in patients with azoospermia may reduce fertilization capacity and embryo quality, it may not affect pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate. If testicular sperm can be obtained before ICSI procedure, the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm may also avoid unnecessary controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and cancellation of oocyte retrieval when spermatozoa cannot be retrieved as well as damage on testicular function by repeated TESE.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.134.1-134.1
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• 2005

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2009

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of ICSI with sperm retrieved from testicular tissue in patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) or hypospermatogenesis (HS). Methods: From January 2003 through December 2006, 155 patients with OA (241 cycles) and 28 patients with HS (34 cycles) were included in this study. We compared clinical outcomes of ICSI with testicular sperm such as fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and delivery rate. Data were statistically analyzed using t-test and ${\chi}^2$-test. Results: Testicular spermatozoa could not be retrieved in 1 out of the 21 cycles where fresh testicular sperm extraction in HS patients. Fertilization rate (FR) was significantly higher in OA than HS (75.6 % vs. 62.6%, p<0.001). Cleavage rate (CR) per fertilized zygote was also significantly higher in OA than that in HS (66.8% vs. 54.8% p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in good embryo rate (GER), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), implantation rate (IR) and delivery rate (DR). Conclusion: Our results show that testicular sperm of HS does not affect CPR, IR, and DR although it has shown reduced FR and CR.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.301-310
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• 2009

Objective: To compare the embryonic development and pregnancy results using sperms retrieved from fresh and frozen-thawed testicular tissue in patients with obstructive (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Methods: A total two hundred twenty-two cycles of TESE-ICSI were performed in OA and NOA. Sperms were retrieved from fresh and frozen-thawed testicular tissue. ICSI was performed patient's own sperm. Fertilization was assessed 16~18 hrs after ICSI. Embryo development and pregnancy rates were analysed. Results: The fertilization rates were significantly different between OA and NOA patients (75.2% vs. 56.7%, p<0.05), however, embryo development did not differ between the groups (96.9% vs. 98.0%). Likewise, OA and NOA groups had no differences in their clinical pregnancy and delivery rates, 33.9% vs. 36.0% and 28.1% vs. 28.0%, respectively. With regard to sperm retrieved from fresh testicular tissue, fertilization rates were significantly different between the OA and NOA groups (76.4% vs. 52.9%, p<0.05); however, embryo development, clinical pregnancy and delivery rates were not different. For sperm retrieved from thawed testicular tissue, the fertilization rates were significantly different between the two groups (74.7% OA group vs. 65.6% NOA group, p<0.05); however, embryo development, clinical pregnancy and delivery rates were not different. Conclusions: Embryo development and clinical pregnancy did not differ in patients with obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia, whether sperm retrieved from fresh and thawed testicular tissue were used, although the fertilization rates were different. Therefore, ICSI with sperm retrieved from fresh and thawed testicular tissue could achieve relevant clinical pregnancy results in patients with azoospermia.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.767-775
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• 2016

Mumps is an acute viral disease that affects the entire body, including inflammation of the salivary glands. Mumps is accompanied by unilateral or bilateral parotid gland swelling and pain. Mumps virus is spread to others by air, saliva, direct contact, and urine, and occurs in high-density population places such as schools, army, etc. Bilateral testicular involvement is seen in 10-60% of cases. If mumps orchitis affect post-pubertal men, approximately 50% of the infected people are said to experience severe testicular atrophy within 1-2 months as a complication. Mumps orchitis can alter the count, morphology, and motility of sperm and result in oligozoospermia and infertility caused by a rare azoospermia. When suspected of mumps orchitis, active initial symptomatic treatment can prevent infertility due to azoospermia in future adults. A case of mumps orchitis report two cases with references to the ultrasonnography and semen.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2008

Objective: To evaluate outcomes of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) undergoing the testicular sperm extraction (TESE) combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with different histopathologic subgroups. Method: A total of 122 embryo-transferred TESE/ICSI cycles were compared among NOA subgroups; Germ-cell aplasia (GA, 40 cycles), Maturation arrest (MA, 32 cycles) and severe hypospermatogenesis (S-HS, 50 cycles). Obstructive azoospermia (OA, 667 cycles) patients were served as a control. TESE/ICSI outcomes such as fertilization rate (FR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) were evaluated. Results: The 2PN FR of embryo-transferred TESE/ICSI cycle was 58.1% in GA, 42.2% in MA and 48.0% in S-HS, which was significantly lower than that of OA (72.9 %, p<0.001). For ICSI-spermatozoa cycles, there were no significant differences in CPR (22.6%, 29.4% and 26.1%) and LBR (16.1%, 29.4% and 19.6%) among NOA subgroups. The CPR of ICSI-spermatid cycles was 0.0%, 9.1% and 0.0% without a live birth. For ICSI-spermatocyte cycles, no clinical pregnancies occurred in any group. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the FR of embryo-transferred TESE/ICSI cycles among NOA subgroups. The FR among all NOA subgroups was significantly lower than that of OA. Testicular histopathology in NOA did not affect successful pregnancy if spermatozoa extraction from the testis is successful and embryo transfer is possible.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.121-132
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• 2005

연구목적: 본 연구에서는 비폐쇄성 무정자증 환자에서 나타나는 정자형성과정의 이상과 고환세포의 세포자연사와의 연관관계 여부를 확인하였다. 또한 SELDI-TOF MS 분석을 통하여 고환 내 단백질 발현 양상을 확인하고, 질환에 따른 효과적인 biomarker 개발 가능성 여부를 확인하였다. 재료 및 방법: RT-PCR 및 면역조직화학법을 사용하여 고환에서의 Fas, FasL, Bcl-2, Bax와 Caspase-3의 발현 양상을 확인하고, in situ DNA 3'-end-labelling 방법으로 고환세포의 세포자연사 양상을 확인하였다. SELDI-TOF MS 분석법에 의한 고환의 병리학적 소견에 따른 단백질 발현 변화는 소수성 칩 ($H_4$)을 사용하여 분자량 10~100 kDa 범위 내에서 분석하였다. 결 과: 정상적인 정자형성과정을 보이는 폐쇄성 무정자증 환자의 고환에 비해 지주세포 증후군 (Sertoli cell only syndrome)과 성숙정지 (maturation arrest)를 보이는 고환 내 생식세포와 지주세포에서 세포자연사가 현저하게 증가한 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 세포자연사 관련인자들의 발현 양상을 확인한 결과, 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지 환자군에서 Fas와 FasL mRNA의 발현이 증가하였으나, bcl-2, bax와 caspase-3 mRNA 발현의 경우에는 두 질환 모두에서 유의한 차이를 확인할 수 없었다. FasL 단백질 발현의 경우, 세포자연사의 증가가 관찰되었던 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지를 보이는 환자의 간질세포와 지주세포에서 증가하는 양상을 나타내었다. SELDI-TOF MS 분석 결과에서 폐쇄성 무정자증 환자군에 비해 전체적인 단백질 발현양이 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지 환자의 고환에서 감소하는 양상을 보였으며, 특히, 16.730 kDa 단백질의 현저한 감소를 확인할 수 있었다. 결 론: 본 연구결과를 통해 비폐쇄성 무정자증 환자에서 나타나는 정자형성과정의 장애는 생식세포의 비정상적인 세포자연사와 연관되어 있으며, 고환 내 Fas와 FasL의 비정상적인 발현이 주된 원인인 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, SELDI-TOF MS 분석법을 통한 단백질 발현 양상의 연구는 무정자증 환자에서의 다양한 병리학적 소견을 쉽게 파악할 수 있는 biomarker 발굴뿐만 아니라 질환의 원인규명을 위한 연구에도 유용하게 이용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.120-120
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• 2001

방사선 조사는 생물체의 여러 장기에 큰 손상을 일으키며 생식기에도 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이중 숫컷의 고환내의 분화중인 정모세포는 매우 민감함을 나타내며 그 결과 방사선 조사 정도에 따라 정자의 이상 형태 및 정자수의 감소를 나타내어 무정자증까지 초래할 가능성이 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 실험에는 8주된 Mongolian gerbil 숫컷을 사용하여 5Gy 및 10 Gy(선량률 ： 1 Gy/분)를 조사하였으며 방사선 조사 바로 직후 및 7일에 고환을 채취하였다. (중략)

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2001

Pituitary adenyl ate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) was originally isolated from the ovine hypothalamus and stimulated cAMP production in anterior pituitary cells. It is known that PACAP stimulates cAMP accumulation and contributes to the spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis in rat testis. The principal aim of this study is to determinate the distribution of PACAP mRNA and protein in adult rat testis. For this study, we used in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry techniques in adult rat testis. PACAP mRNA was stage specifically expressed in seminiferous tubules. Positive signals of PACAP mRNA were detected in the developing germ cells at stages HI-VII of the epithelial cycle. The strongest signals of PACAP mRNA and protein were detected in round spermatids at stages V to early VII of the cycle. These results demonstrate that PACAP which is synthesised in the developing germ cells contributes to the spermatogenesis in rat testis. Thus, we suggest that PACAP plays a critical role in the function of testis.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2005