• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.24-35
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• 2005

Purpose : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Cynomorii Herba (鎖陽) on　the reproductive competence in male mice.　Methods ：　We used 8-week-old Spraque-Dawley rats and administered the extract powder of Cynomorii Herba to 5 rats and normal saline to control group once in a day for 28 days. Then we observed the changes of body weight before and after administration of Cynomorii Herba extracts and normal saline. We isolated their testis surgically and observed the weight of testis, epididymis, vascular gland and prostate. Also we examined the total, normal and motile sperm concentration, the concentration of testicular catalase, peroxidase and configuration of testicular tissue before and after administration of Cynomorii Herba extracts and normal saline. Results : We found that the concentration of total, normal, motile sperm in testis of Cynomorii Herba treated group shows significant difference compared with the control group. The body weight, the weight of testis, epididymis and the concentration of testicular catalase and peroxidase were higher in the Cynomorii Herba treated group, on the other hand the weight of vascular gland was lower in the Cynomorii Herba. But the contents of above statement showed no significant difference. The weight of　prostate showed lower in the control group statistically than that of the Cynomorii Herba treated group. We observed the seminiferous tubules taken shape minutely and the number of normal sperm increased in Cynomorii Herba treated group's testicular tissue. Conclusion This study shows that Cynomorii Herba may have an effect on the concentration, morphology and motility of sperm, the important factor in male fertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.142-147
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• 2011

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate testicular sperm chromatin condensation using aniline blue-eosin (AB-E) staining and its effects on IVF-ET. Methods: Chromatin condensation was analyzed using AB-E staining in 27 cases of testicular sperm extraction. There were 19 cases of obstructive azoospermia (OA) and 8 cases of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) in IVF-ET. Mature sperm heads were stained red-pink whereas immature sperm heads were stained dark blue. The percentage of sperm chromatin condensation was calculated from the ratio of the number of red-pink sperm to the total number of sperm analyzed. Results: The overall percentages of chromatin condensation in OA and NOA were $31.1{\pm}11.2%$ and $26.3{\pm}14.4%$, respectively. The fertilization rate was significant higher in OA than NOA ($p$ <0.05); however, the rates of good embryos and clinical pregnancy did not show statistical differences. In OA and NOA, statistical differences were not observed in the rate of chromatin condensation, fertilization, good embryos, and clinical pregnancy between the pregnant group and non-pregnant group. Conclusion: Chromatin condensation is less stable than OA and showed a low fertilization rate in NOA. While there were no significant differences in chromatin condensation results between NOA and OA, we propose that a pattern of decreased chromatin condensation in NOA is one of the factors of low fertilization results requiring further study.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.149-153
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• 1995

In IVF-ET program, intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) has been performed with testicular sperm extraction(TESE) in case of no normal spermatozoon could be retrieved from the epididymis. We wished to see whether the quality of testicular sperm affect the fertilization and pregnancy rate in TESE-ICSI cycles(n=40). These cycles were classified into three groups by the total number of normal motile spermatozoa(TNMS) in the TESE sample: i) good sperm(GS) group(n=12), TNMS > 10,000; ii) moderate sperm(MS) group(n=19), 1,000 < TNMS < 10,000; iii) poor sperm(PS) group(n=9), TNMS < 1,000. Among 423 injected oocytes, 307(72.6%) oocytes were normally fertilized and 43 zygotes were cryopreserved. The fertilization rates of GS group(79.3%) and MS group(75.9%) were significantly(p<0.005) higher than PS group(60.2%). After the embryo transfer(n=40), clinical pregnancy was obtained in 14 cycles(35.0%) and on-going pregnacy in 13 cycles(32.5%). The clinical and on-going pregnancy rates were similar in each group. From these results it can be concluded that testicular spermatozoa are successfully used with ICSI in IVF-ET program in spite of very poor quality of TESE sample.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.61-67
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• 2020

Objective: In this study, specimens from testicular biopsies of men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) were used to investigate whether RNF8 gene could serve as a biomarker to predict the presence of sperm in these patients. Methods: Testicular biopsy specimens from 47 patients were classified according to the presence of sperm (positive vs. negative groups) and investigated for the expression of RNF8. The level of RNF8 gene expression in the testes was compared between these groups using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The expression level of RNF8 was significantly higher in testicular samples from the positive group than in those from the negative group. Moreover, the area under the curve of RNF8 expression for the entire study population was 0.84, showing the discriminatory power of RNF8 expression in differentiating between the positive and negative groups of men with NOA. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that RNF8 expression had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 84%, with a cutoff level of 1.76. Conclusion: This study points out a significant association between the expression of RNF8 and the presence of sperm in NOA patients, which suggests that quantified RNF8 expression in testicular biopsy samples may be a valuable biomarker for predicting the presence of spermatozoa in biopsy samples.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.142-155
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• 2005

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the dose dependent effects of Epimedii Herba extract solution on the spermatogenic abilities such as concentration, motility and morphological normality of sperm from the testis, and the activities of spermhyaluronidase and antioxidants. Materials and Method: We choose the 2-month-old mice, and administered the extract powder of Epimedii Herba in the different concentration once in a day for 60 days. The control group was administerde to normal water in the isolated testis tissue. Also we observed changes of isolated testis at the before and after administration of Epimedii Herba extracts in the mice. And we compared to the testicular tissue especially seminiferous tubules between control and treated group by histochemical methods. Results: The significant dose dependent differences were observed in the concentration of total sperm, the motility and normality of spermatozoa of the Epimedii Herba extract administered groups compared than that of control group, respectively. In the histological analysis of the testicular lobes were observed in the Epimedii Herbaextract administered groups than control group, respectively. Also, the activity hyluronidase was significantly increased in the Epimedii Herba extract administered groups than that of the control group. In case of antioxidant activity analysis, the activity of peroxidase and catalase were significantly increased in the Epimedii Herba extract administered groups than that of control group, respectively. Conclusion: This study shows that Epimedii Herba can effect the count and motility of sperm, the important ractor in male fertility and also promote the activity of antioxidants, catalase and peroxidase, which is the important factor in spermatogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제63권11호
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• pp.415-421
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• 2020

Cryptorchidism or undescended testis is the single most common genitourinary disease in male neonates. In most cases, the testes will descend spontaneously by 3 months of age. If the testes do not descend by 6 months of age, the probability of spontaneous descent thereafter is low. About 1%-2% of boys older than 6 months have undescended testes after their early postnatal descent. In some cases, a testis vanishes in the abdomen or reascends after birth which was present in the scrotum at birth. An inguinal undescended testis is sometimes mistaken for an inguinal hernia. A surgical specialist referral is recommended if descent does not occur by 6 months, undescended testis is newly diagnosed after 6 months of age, or testicular torsion is suspected. International guidelines do not recommend ultrasonography or other diagnostic imaging because they cannot add diagnostic accuracy or change treatment. Routine hormonal therapy is not recommended for undescended testis due to a lack of evidence. Orchiopexy is recommended between 6 and 18 months at the latest to protect the fertility potential and decrease the risk of malignant changes. Patients with unilateral undescended testis have an infertility rate of up to 10%. This rate is even higher in patients with bilateral undescended testes, with intra-abdominal undescended testis, or who underwent delayed orchiopexy. Patients with undescended testis have a threefold increased risk of testicular cancer later in life compared to the general population. Self-examination after puberty is recommended to facilitate early cancer detection. A timely referral to a surgical specialist and timely surgical correction are the most important factors for decreasing infertility and testicular cancer rates.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.327-336
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• 2018

To date, there are no protocols optimized to the effective separation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from testicular cells derived from mouse testes, thus hindering studies based on mouse SSCs. In this study, we aimed to determine the most efficient purification method for the isolation of SSCs from mouse testes among previously described techniques. Isolation of SSCs from testicular cells derived from mouse testes was conducted using four different techniques: differential plating (DP), magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) post-DP, MACS, and positive and negative selection double MACS. DP was performed for 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 h, and MACS was performed using EpCAM ($MACS^{EpCAM}$), Thy1 ($MACS^{Thy1}$), or GFR ${\alpha}1$ ($MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$) antibodies. The purification efficiency of each method was analyzed by measuring the percentage of cells that stained positively for alkaline phosphatase. DP for 8 h, $MACS^{Thy1}$ post-DP for 8 h, $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$, positive selection double $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1/EpCAM}$, and negative selection double $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1/{\alpha}-SMA}$ were identified as the optimal protocols for isolation of SSCs from mouse testicular cells. Comparison of the purification efficiencies of the optimized isolation protocols showed that, numerically, the highest purification efficiency was obtained using $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$. Overall, our results indicate that $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$ is an appropriate purification technique for the isolation of SSCs from mouse testicular cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.85-90
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• 2021

We present data from three Caucasian men with Zinner syndrome who attended our center for the treatment of primary couple's infertility. Each patient was scheduled for conventional testicular sperm extraction (cTESE) and cryopreservation. Sperm analysis confirmed absolute azoospermia. Patient 1 had right and left testis volumes of 24 mL and 23 mL, respectively; left seminal vesicle (SV) agenesis, severe right SV hypotrophy with right renal agenesis. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was 3.2 IU/L. Patient 2 exhibited right and left testis volumes of 18 mL and 16 mL, respectively; a left SV cyst of 32 × 28 mm, ipsilateral kidney absence, and right SV agenesis. FSH was 2.8 IU/L. Patient 3 showed a testicular volume of 10 mL bilaterally, a 65 × 46 mm left SV cyst, right SV enlargement, and left kidney agenesis. FSH was 32.0 IU/L. Sperm retrieval was successful in all patients. Nevertheless, cTESE should be performed on the day of oocyte retrieval.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.263-275
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• 2020

The proper administration of melatonin has well been documented to induce testicular regression in seasonal breeding animals. The subcutaneous injections of melatonin in the afternoon, not in the morning, consistently occurred testicular involution in the male Syrian (golden) hamsters whose reproductive activity is regulated by the photoperiod. But the effects of daily melatonin via gavage have not been estimated. Golden hamsters housed in long photoperiod (LP) were divided into 5 groups: the control animals housed in LP or in short photoperiod (SP) and animals treated daily with low (15 ㎍), middle (150 ㎍), and high dosages (1,500 ㎍) of pure melatonin by using gavage in the evening for 8 weeks. As results, LP control animals had large testes and SP controls displayed small and entirely regressed testes. The animals treated with various dosages of melatonin showed collectively degenerating effects on the weights of testes, epididymides, and seminal vesicles in the middle and high dosage groups, with the individual differences as well. The high dosages induced testicular regression in more proportion than the middle dosages did. The low dosage had large testes like the LP control animals. The small and inactive testes shown in some animals of both middle and high groups presented the complete regression as those of the animals maintained in SP. These results strongly suggest that the administrations of melatonin lead to testicular involution in the male golden hamsters when it is administered through gavage.

• Mycobiology
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.86-95
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• 2022

Inflammaging in male reproductive organs covers a wide variety of problems, including sexual dysfunction and infertility. In this study, the beneficial effects of cordycepin (COR), isolated from potential medicinal fungi Cordyceps militaris, in aging-associated testicular inflammation and serum biochemical changes in naturally aged rats were investigated. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into young control (YC), aged control (AC), and COR (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) treated aged rat groups. Aging-associated serum biochemical changes and inflammatory parameters were analyzed by biochemical assay kits, Western blotting, and real-time RT-PCR. Results showed a significant (p < 0.05) alteration in the total blood cell count, lipid metabolism, and liver functional parameters in AC group when compared with YC group. However, COR-treated aged rats ameliorated the altered biochemical parameters significantly (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, respectively). Furthermore, the increase in the expression of inflammatory mediators (COX-2, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tissue necrosis factor-alpha) in aged rat testis was significant (p < 0.05) when compared with YC group. Treatment with COR at 20 mg/kg to aged rats attenuated the increased expression of inflammatory mediators significantly (p < 0.05). Mechanistic studies revealed that the potential attenuating effects exhibited by COR in aged rats was mediated by regulation of NF-κB activation and MAPKs (c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and p38) signaling. In conclusion, COR restored the altered serum biochemical parameters in aged rats and ameliorated the aging-associated testicular inflammation proving the therapeutic benefits of COR targeting inflammaging-associated male sexual dysfunctions.