• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제65권4호
• /
• pp.683-697
• /
• 2023

The threat posed by increased surface temperatures worldwide has attracted the attention of researchers to the reaction of animals to heat stress. Spermatogenesis in animals such as stallions is a temperature-dependent process, ideally occurring at temperatures slightly below the core body temperature. Thus, proper thermoregulation is essential, especially because stallion spermatogenesis and the resulting spermatozoa are negatively affected by increased testicular temperature. Consequently, the failure of thermoregulation resulting in heat stress may diminish sperm quality and increase the likelihood of stallion infertility. In this review, we emphasize upon the impact of heat stress on spermatogenesis and the somatic and germ cells and describe the subsequent testicular alterations. In addition, we explore the functions and molecular responses of heat shock proteins, including HSP60, HSP70, HSP90, and HSP105, in heat-induced stress conditions. Finally, we discuss the use of various therapies to alleviate heat stress-induced reproductive harm by modulating distinct signaling pathways.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제50권4호
• /
• pp.213-222
• /
• 2023

Cryopreservation is an option for the preservation of pre- or post-pubertal female or male fertility. This technique not only is beneficial for human clinical applications, but also plays a crucial role in the breeding of livestock and endangered species. Unfortunately, frozen germ cells, including oocytes, sperm, embryos, and spermatogonial stem cells, are subject to cryoinjury. As a result, various cryoprotective agents and freezing techniques have been developed to mitigate this damage. Despite extensive research aimed at reducing apoptotic cell death during freezing, a low survival rate and impaired cell function are still observed after freeze-thawing. In recent decades, several cell death pathways other than apoptosis have been identified. However, the relationship between these pathways and cryoinjury is not yet fully understood, although necroptosis and autophagy appear to be linked to cryoinjury. Therefore, gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of cryoinjury could aid in the development of new strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the freezing of reproductive tissues. In this review, we focus on the pathways through which cryoinjury leads to cell death and propose novel approaches to enhance freezing efficacy based on signaling molecules.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제44권1호
• /
• pp.52-55
• /
• 2017

The aim of this study was to report a successful pregnancy using completely immotile frozen-thawed spermatozoa selected by laser. A single laser shot was used to detect the presence of viable immotile spermatozoa in fresh and frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa. The viability rate was 55.8% after the laser detection, and cryopreservation was carried out immediately. The thawing test was performed on the day of oocyte pick-up, and no motile sperm were observed after extending the culture for another 4 hours, while a survival rate of 39.8% was detected using the laser. In all, five mature oocytes were injected, resulting in four cases of normal fertilization (80%) on day 1. Further, two high-quality day 3 embryos were transferred, which resulted in a singleton pregnancy. Our study demonstrates that completely immotile spermatozoa are worth cryopreserving for further intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which provides a new insight into male fertility preservation in cases of completely immotile spermatozoa.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.55-59
• /
• 1998

To study the effect of induced hypothyroidism on fertility status of male Black Bengal goats, 10 adult healthy mature males were divided into control and treated groups. Hypothyroidism was induced successfully by injecting thiourea subcutaneously initially for 15 days at the rate of 100 mg/kg body weight, followed by 66.7 mg/kg body weight for the subse quent 15 days. This resulted in a decrease (p < 0.01) in plasma tri-iodothyronine, thyroxine and testosterone levels, with increasing duration of thiourea treatment. It also adversely affected semen quality, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, motility and viability. Live percentage declined to 75% for treated and control remained at 90%. Artificial insemination fo female goats with semen of thiourea-treated goats, resulted in failure of conception. However, females inseminated with semen of male goats of control group showed 100% conception. These observations indicate that, thyroid hormones play a key role in maintaining the normal reproductive processes of male goats.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제46권3호
• /
• pp.119-124
• /
• 2019

Objective: It is widely accepted that aging decreases women's fertility capacity. The aim of this study was to assess correlations between maternal age and the morphokinetic parameters and cleavage pattern of embryos. Methods: The morphokinetics of embryos derived from women < 30, 30-35, 36-40, and > 40 years of age were compared retrospectively in terms of time of second polar body extrusion, time of pronuclei appearance, time of pronuclei fading, and time of two to eight discrete cells (t2-t8). Furthermore, abnormal cleavage patterns such as uneven blastomeres at the two-cell stage, cell fusion (Fu), and trichotomous mitoses (TM) were assessed. Results: Only t5 occurred later in women aged 36-40 and > 40 years when compared with those aged < 30 and 30-35 years (p< 0.001). Other morphokinetic timing parameters, as well the presence of uneven blastomeres, were comparable between the groups (p> 0.05). However, Fu and TM were more common in women aged > 40 years than in younger women (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Maternal age was correlated with the cleavage pattern of embryos. Therefore, evaluating embryo morphokinetics may contribute to optimal embryo selection, thereby increasing fertility in patients with advanced maternal age.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.70-73
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of subcutaneous granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for treating thin endometrium. Methods: Data from 88 infertile women with thin endometrium (<7 mm) aged 23 to 40 years were evaluated retrospectively over a period of 1 year. In group 1, subcutaneous infusion of G-CSF (300 ㎍/mL) was administered to 44 women along with other supplemental treatments. If the lining did not exceed 7 mm within 72 hours, a second infusion was administered. In group 2, which also had 44 women, only estradiol valerate and sildenafil were administered, while subcutaneous G-CSF infusion was not. Embryo transfers were performed once the lining exceeded 7.5 mm. The efficacy of G-CSF was evaluated by assessing the thickness of the endometrium before embryo transfer, pregnancy rates, and clinical pregnancy rates. Results: There were no differences between the groups regarding demographic variables, egg reserves, sperm parameters, the number of embryos transferred, and embryo quality. The pregnancy rate was significantly higher in group 1 (60%, 24 of 40 cases) than in group 2 (31%, 9 of 29 cases) (p<0.001). The clinical pregnancy rate was also significantly higher in group 1 (55%) than in group 2 (24%) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Subcutaneous G-CSF infusion improved the thickness of the endometrium when it was thin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented study to clearly demonstrate the benefits of subcutaneous G-CSF infusion for treating thin endometrium.

• 대한한의학회지
• /
• 제25권4호
• /
• pp.90-94
• /
• 2004

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Panax Ginseng (인삼) on the sperm motility and spermatogenesis in the male rat. Methods : We used 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and administered the extract powder of Panax Ginseng to 5 rats (treated group) and normal saline (control group) once a day for 28 days. We isolated their testes surgically, then observed the change of the body weights before and after administration of Panax Ginseng extracts and normal saline. We observed the weight of the testes, epididymis, vascular gland, and prostate. Also, we examined the total, normal motile sperm concentration, and the concentration of testicular catalase and peroxidase. Results : We found that the concentration of normal, motile sperm in the testes of the Panax Ginseng group showed a significant difference compared with the control group. The angiogenesis of the seminiferous tubule was increased and the increasement of the number of spermatogonia, primary and secondary spermatocyte was observed in the Panax Ginseng group through a microscope. The body weight, the weight of the testes, epididymis, prostate and the concentration of testicular catalase and peroxidase were higher in the Panax Ginseng group but showed no significant difference. Conclusion : This study shows that Panax Ginseng may have an effect on the morphology and motility of sperm, the important factor in male fertility, and can promote the concentration of antioxidants, catalase and peroxidase, which is the important factor in spermatogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제44권2호
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2017

Objective: Sperm morphology plays an important role in infertility, especially in cases of defects in the heads of spermatozoa. Tapered-head or elongated-head spermatozoa are examples of morphological abnormalities. The aim of this study was to compare the semen parameters, levels of protamine deficiency, and frequency of apoptosis between patients with normozoospermia and those with teratozoospermia with tapered-head spermatozoa. Methods: Fifty-two semen samples (27 patients with tapered-head sperm and 25 fertile men) were collected and semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization criteria for each sample. Protamine deficiency and the percentage of apoptotic spermatozoa were evaluated using chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays, respectively. Results: Sperm concentration, motility, and normal morphology in the tapered-head spermatozoa (cases) were significantly lower than in the normozoospermic samples (controls). CMA3-reactive spermatozoa (CMA3+) in the case group were more common than in the controls. Apoptotic spermatozoa (TUNEL-positive) were significantly more common in the cases than in the controls. Conclusion: This analysis showed that tapered-head spermatozoa contained abnormal chromatin packaging and exhibited a high rate of apoptosis, which can be considered to be an important reason for the impaired fertility potential in teratozoospermic patients with tapered-head spermatozoa.

• Advances in nano research
• /
• 제9권1호
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2020

Iron has a crucial role in growth as part of metalo-proteins like haemoglobin or myoglobin, enzymes; they are also involved in energetic reactions. Iron plays a vital role in fertility. At high doses, Iron has a harmful consequence on the reproductive system, which can be strongly reflected the final stage of spermatogenesis. Nutritional products are claiming to use nanotechnology and it is important to recognize the potential toxicity of nano-sized nutrients. Recently iron nanoparticles were proposed as a food additive for poultry. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of L-cystein coated iron oxide nanoparticles on reproductive performance in male quails. The results of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, Alternating Gradient Force Magnetometer and Scaning Electron Microscopy showed that iron oxide nanoparticles was produced and have been coated with L-cycstein (Fe₃O₄-Cys NPs). A total of 100 one-week-old quail chicks were randomly placed to five groups of five replicates. Four quails (two male and two females) were raised in an individual cage for each replicate. The five experimental treatment diets consisted; negative control diet, with no Iron supplementation; positive control diet supplemented with 60 mg/kg of Fe₃O₄; treatment diets supplemented with 0.6, 6 and 60 mg/kg of L-cystein coated iron oxide nanoparticles. The hemoglobin, Red blood cell, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, gonadal somatic index, daily sperm production, total testicular sperm and sperm viability of the male quails that were fed with diet supplemented by 0.6 mg/kg of Fe₃O₄-Cys NPs were improved as compare with negative control. This study showed that not only the use of the Fe₃O₄-Cys nanoparticles had no side effects but also it can be used as a feed additive to improve the reproductive performance in male quails.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
• /
• 제23권4호
• /
• pp.283-289
• /
• 2008

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed properties to improve energy and fertility. In the present study, we investigated the effects of gelatinized and fermented Maca on improvement of physical stamina and epididymal sperm counts, and on blood biochemical parameters related to fatigue and tissue injury: creatine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, total cholesterol and total proteins. Adult male mice was divided at random into two main groups (resting and excercise groups). The excercise group was separated into three subgroups (exercise only, exercise with gelatinized Maca and fermented Maca-treatment groups). Gelatinized or fermented Maca (800 mg/kg) were orally administered for 30 days. All animals in exercise groups were subjected to daily 30-min swimming for 28 days 30 min after Maca treatment. Daily exercise decreased the body weight gain, and fermented Maca further attenuated the body weight increase. Gelatinized and fermented Maca significantly increased the maximum swimming time on 14 and 28 days of treatment (p<0.05), respectively, suggestive of a long-term stamina-enhancing effect of fermented Maca. Both Maca fully or significantly recovered blood parameters of energy as well as muscular and hepatocytic injuries changed by repeated exercise and maximum swimming performance (p<0.01). Moreover, gelatinized and fermented Maca increased epididymal sperm counts 22.0% and 32.0%, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate potential benefits of Maca for improving both physical stamina by minimizing muscular and hepatic damage and preserving energy during swimming exercise and male reproductive function by increasing epididymal sperm counts.