• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.127-133
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• 2008

The objective of this study was two folds: to investigate the relationship between paternal identification rate and sperm quality parameters such as motility and sperm chromatin structure assay after heterospermic insemination; to see if mutual complement between tests and development of useful technique to enhance the fertility in artificial insemination. In individual boar's fertilizing ability, 3 high fertility boars showed significantly high fertility (p<0.05) compared to 3 low fertility boars, but there was no difference in litter size between two groups. Sperm motility test in pooled and individual semen using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) revealed that no significant difference among boars. The high fertile boar showed tendency of low %Red (High red fluorescence/green+red fluorescence) in sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) but paternal identification rate from piglets did not differ after heterospermic insemination. The correlation coefficient between individual or pooled semen function test and farrowing rates were well correlated as follows: %Red with litter size (r= - 0.53, p=0.03); %Red with paternal identification rates (r=-0.51, p=0.03); paternal identification rates with litter size (r=0.57, p=0.02). These results indicate that sperm chromatin structure assay and sperm quality parameter test in pooled semen are useful method to predict and evaluate the fertilizing capacity after heterospermic insemination in boars.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.303-308
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• 2008

목 적: 정계정맥류는 수술적 치료가 가능한 남성불임의 가장 흔한 원인 질환이다. 하지만 모든 정계정맥류 환자에서 수술 후 같은 치료 효과를 보이는 것은 아니다. 이에 저자들은 정계정맥류 수술 전 정액인자 결과가 수술 후 정액인자 결과 및 임신성공률에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 2001년 1월부터 2006년 12월까지 불임을 주소로 본원 비뇨기과를 방문하여 정계정맥류 진단 후 서혜부 접근법을 통한 미세수술적 정계정맥류절제술을 시행 받은 총 278명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 수술 전 총 활동성 정자수 (Total motile sperm count; TMSC)를 기준으로 (이하 단위: ${\times}10^6$) 20 이상을 group A, 5 이상 20 미만을 group B, 5 미만을 group C로 분류하였다. 수술 후 3개월 이상 경과한 후에 다시 정액검사를 시행하여 각 group별 TMSC 호전률을 비교하였다. 또한 수술 후 1년 이상 경과한 환자 중 전화설문이 가능했던 총 119명의 환자를 대상으로 자연임신 여부를 조사하였다. 결 과: 전체 환자의 수술 전 평균 TMSC는 25.75 수술 후 평균 TMSC는 80.24로 평균 54.49 (211.6%) 증가하였다. 각 group별 절대 증가치 (상대적 증가율)를 보면 group A는 67.90 (131.2%), group B는 62.20 (482.5%), group C는 26.33 (1841.2%)으로 모든 group에서 통계학적 유의한 증가를 보였다 (모두 p<0.001). 수술 전 정액인자가 가장 좋지 않았던 group C의 경우 다른 group에 비하여 절대 증가치는 통계학적으로 유의하게 낮았으나 (p=0.002) 상대적 증가율은 유의하게 높았다 (p<0.001). 자연임신성공률은 group A에서 48.0%, group B에서 34.2%, group C에서 26.4%로 나타났으나 각 group별 자연임신성공률에 통계학적 의미 있는 차이는 없었다 (p= 0.119). 결 론: 정계정맥류 환자에서 수술 전 정액인자가 매우 좋지 않을 경우 수술 후 정액인자의 절대 증가치는 상대적으로 낮다. 하지만 수술전과 비교한 상대적 증가율은 높으며 수술 후 자연임신성공률도 수술 전 정액인자가 상대적으로 좋았던 경우와 비교하여 유의한 차이가 없었다. 따라서 정계정맥류 수술 전 정액인자가 매우 좋지 않을 경우라도 정계정맥류절제술이 불임해결을 위한 일차 치료로 선택될 수 있다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.191-195
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• 2014

오미자(Schizandra chinensis Baillon., Schisandrae Semen)의 열매는 한국을 포함한 아시아 지역에서 오랫동안 전통 의약제로 광범위하게 사용되어 왔다. 식물에서 분리된 정유(essential oils)는 다양한 약리효능을 지니고 있지만, 오미자 열매에서 추출한 정유의 약리학적 기전은 밝혀진 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 오미자 종자의 정유(Schisandrae Semen essential oil, SSeo)에 대한 안정성을 확보하기 위하여 단회경구투여 독성시험을 ICR 마우스를 대상으로 실시하였다. SSeo은 ICR mice에 5,000 mg/kg 농도로 경구 투여하였으며, 14일 후 희생시켰다. SSeo 투여 후 치사율, 임상 증상, 체중 및 부검 소견 상의 유의적인 변화는 관찰되지 않았다. 또한 각 장기의 무게, 혈액학적 및 혈청학적 임상 화학적 지표에도 총 bilirubin량을 제외한 유의적인 변화는 관찰할 수 없었다. 따라서 SSeo 단회 투여에 따른 치사량은 5,000 mg/kg 이상일 것으로 추정되어 급성 독성 측면에서 유해성이 없다는 의미를 지니며, 경구투여에 따른 어떤 부작용도 나타내지 않았음을 의미한다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.108-114
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• 2014

Male factors account for 20%-50% of cases of infertility and in 25% of cases, the etiology of male infertility is unknown. Effective treatments are well-established for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, male accessory gland infection, retrograde ejaculation, and positive antisperm antibody. However, the appropriate treatment for idiopathic male infertility is unclear. Empirical medical treatment (EMT) has been used in men with idiopathic infertility and can be divided into two categories based on the mode of action: hormonal treatment and antioxidant supplementation. Hormonal medications consist of gonadotropins, androgens, estrogen receptor blockers, and aromatase inhibitors. Antioxidants such as vitamins, zinc, and carnitines have also been widely used to reduce oxidative stress-induced spermatozoa damage. Although scientifically acceptable evidence of EMT is limited because of the lack of large, randomized, controlled studies, recent systematic reviews with meta-analyses have shown that the administration of gonadotropins, anti-estrogens, and oral antioxidants results in a significant increase in the live birth rate compared with control treatments. Therefore, all physicians who treat infertility should bear in mind that EMT can improve semen parameters and subsequent fertility potential through natural intercourse.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.57-66
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• 2018

It has been estimated that approximately 15% of reproductive-age couples suffer from infertility. Male factors contribute to almost half of infertility cases, and in many patients the underlying cause of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia is unknown. Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role as a contributing factor to male infertility, and reactive oxygen species have been shown to impair sperm function and motility and to damage sperm membrane and DNA. Therefore, this review explored the evidence provided by studies published from 2002 to 2017 on the impact of oral antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, zinc, selenium, and pentoxifylline) on seminal fluid parameters in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Most of the studies were randomized controlled studies that investigated the effect of single or combined antioxidants and reported improvements in at least one semen parameter. The most noteworthy effect that was found was that the use of multiple antioxidants increased sperm motility and concentration. Nonetheless, there is a lack of agreement on the dose, the duration of treatment, and whether individual or combined oral antioxidants should be used. Therefore, the current review provides evidence supporting the use of oral antioxidants in the treatment of infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 1993

The present study was designed to test the validity of the semen analysis(S/A) and the sperm penetration assay(SPA) as a prognostic indicator of male fertility in 123 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization(IVF). We attempted to correlate the traditional semen parameters or the extent of sperm penetration in SPA with the results of human IVF rate or cleavage rate. Poor correlation was found between the results of S/A and human IVF rate(sensitivity, 80.6% ;specificity, 46.7%; positive predictive value, 91.6%;negative predictive value, 25%). Conversely, good correlation was found between the results of SPA and human IVF rate(sensitivity, 100% ; specificity, 80% ;positive predictive value, 97.3% ;negative predictive value, 100%). Our results corroborate the conclusion that SPA can be a valuable tool as a prognostic indicator of male fertilizing ability.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.101-109
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• 2022

Objective: Y chromosome microdeletions are the second most common genetic cause of male infertility after Klinefelter syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of Y chromosome microdeletions among infertile Mongolian men. Methods: A descriptive study was performed on 75 infertile men from February 2017 to December 2018. Y chromosome microdeletions were identified by polymerase chain reaction. Semen parameters, hormonal levels, and testis biopsy samples were examined. Results: Among 75 infertile men, two cases of Y chromosome microdeletions were identified. The first case had an AZFa complete deletion and the other had an AZFc partial deletion. This study found that the proportion of Y chromosome microdeletions among infertile Mongolian men was 2.66%. Conclusion: The findings can be applied to in vitro fertilization and assisted reproductive technology, and our results will help clinicians improve treatment management for infertile Mongolian couples.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.87-92
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of melatonin and selenium in freezing extenders on frozen-thawed rat sperm. Methods: Semen samples were collected from 20 adult male Wistar albino rats. Following dilution, the samples were divided into six groups: four cryopreserved groups with 1 mM and 0.5 mM melatonin and selenium supplements, and two fresh and cryopreserved control groups. The rapid freezing technique was used to freeze the samples. Flow cytometry was used to assess plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA damage, while computer-assisted sperm analysis was used to assess motility. Results: Total motility was higher in the 1 mM melatonin supplementation group than in the cryopreserved control group (mean±standard error of the mean, 69.89±3.05 vs. 59.21±1.31; p≤0.05). The group with 1 mM selenium had the highest plasma membrane integrity (42.35%±1.01%). The cryopreserved group with 0.5 mM selenium had the highest mitochondrial membrane potential, whereas the cryopreserved control group had the lowest (45.92%±4.53% and 39.45%±3.52%, respectively). Conclusion: Cryopreservation of rat semen supplemented with 1 mM melatonin increased sperm motility after freeze-thawing, while supplementation with 0.5 mM selenium increased mitochondrial activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.73-80
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• 1991

We compared fertilizing potential measurements by the zona-free hamster egg penetration assay with the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program was evaevulated for their ability to fertilize zona free hamster egg. Spermatozoa from 12 presumeably fertile donors and from the male partners of 56 infertile couples were evaluated for their ability to fertilizing potentials. Penertration rates of fertile donors were $36.2{\pm}27.7%$ ; Fertilization rates of infertile couples between with normal semen parameters and with abnormal semen parameters were $28.7{\pm}19.1$, $5.7{\pm}8.9%$, respectively. Sperm motility of couples with penetration rates between on 15-30% and on 30> were $54.1{\pm}4.6$, $55.5{\pm}8.3%$ respectively. Hamster penetration rates of couples participating in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program was $38.9{\pm}29.9%$. But in one case, a positive fertility assessment was obtained in the absence of fertilization of the wife's eggs attributable to egg immaturity. This method may have potential value as a diagnostic tool in evaluation human sperm fertilization capacity which avoids the ethical and logistical problems associated with fertilizing of human eggs in vitro.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.175-180
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• 1986

It has been reported that oral kallikrein therapy exerts a favourable effect on sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients. In order to evaluate the efficacy of kallikrein on asthenozoospermia, a total of 20 subfertile male patients with varicocele, whose sperm counts were less than $40{\times}10^6/ml$ and sperm motility was less than 30%, was subjected to this clinical study (Table 1). They were divided into 2 study groups: 1) Varicocelectomy group consisted of 10 patients with varicocele (grade II-III) who underwent varicocelectomy. 2) Kallikrein group was composed of 10 patients with varicocele (grade I) who were given kallikrein orally 600 KU (kallikrein unit) daily divided 3 times after meal for 3 to 9 months. Semen analyses were repeated twice before the study, once a month during the study and twice after the study. Effective results designate that sperm parameters improved more than 30% from the basical levels after varicocelectomy or kallikrein exposure. Sperm counts increased from $32.5{\times}10^5/ml$ to $45.5{\times}10^6/ml$ after varicocelectomy in 3 patients and sperm motility increased from 25% to 38.5% after varicocelectomy in 3 patients. Pregnancy occurred in 2 patients of 3 responders and 1 patient of 7 non-responders 3 to 6 months after varicocelectomy in Varicocelectomy group. Sperm motility increased from 28% to 40.2% after kallikrein treatment in 3 patients. Pregnancy occurred in 2 patients of the 3 responders in Kallikrein group (Tables 2-3). There were no significant changes in volume and morphology in Varicocelectomy group before after varicocelectomy and no significant changes in volume, counts, and morphology before and after kallikrein exposure. No remarkable side effects were noted with kallikrein treatment.