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Clinical and structural features of sperm head vacuoles in men included in the in vitro fertilization programmeNina Fekonja,
Jasna Štrus,
Magda Tušek-Žnidarič,
Katja Knez,
Eda Vrtačnik-Bokal,
Ivan Verdenik,
Irma Virant-Klun, 2014, original scientific article
Abstract: The human sperm head vacuoles and their role in male infertility are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and ultrastructural features of human sperm head vacuoles in men included in the in vitro fertilization programme: men with normal (normozoospermia) and impaired sperm morphology (teratozoospermia). The sperm samples were observed under 6000-time magnification using motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME). The proportion of sperm with head vacuoles was evaluated and related to the outcome of in vitro fertilization. The sperm of men with impaired sperm morphology was characterized by a higher proportion of sperm head vacuoles. The sperm head vacuoles were related to impaired semen quality (sperm concentration, motility, and morphology) but were not influenced by male factors (semen volume, height, age, weight, or body mass index). Moreover, sperm head vacuoles were related to impaired fertilization rate merely after classical in vitro fertilization (IVF), while there was no relation to pregnancy. In a subgroup of men, the sperm was fixed and observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ultrastructural study revealed that sperm head vacuoles are large nuclear indentations of various sizes and positions, packed with membranous material organized in membrane whorls (MW).
Keywords: human sperm head vacuoles, male infertility
Published in DiRROS: 04.03.2025; Views: 773; Downloads: 917
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