1,721,093 research outputs found
Histones instead of protamines in terminal germ cells of infertile, oligospermic men.
No full textA study was carried out, by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, of the nucleoproteins of spermatozoa from infertile, oligospermic patients affected by partial idiopathic spermatidic arrest. Results in a normal group of men, in agreement with previous reports, showed the presence of protamines in mature spermatozoa. Data relative to nucleoproteins in "spermatozoa" from the infertile patients showed that, in these cells, no protamines were detectable, but histones exclusively. These findings suggest that in our patients a maturational defect of spermatogenesis exists both at the meiotic level (a DNA content double that of spermatozoa) and during spermatidic maturation (no substitution of histones by protamines). Therefore, the nuclear maturation of these terminal germ cells is that typical of that of primary spermatocytes
Oxygen consumption of human seminal plasma: Relationships with semen characteristics
No full textIt is possible to determine oxygen consumption rate in human seminal plasma through voltammetric measurements. The seminal fluid of the sterile patients in this investigation was characterized by an anomalous sperm motility. Also studied was a control group of proven fertile subjects. The mean value of oxygen consumption resulted greater in the reduced sperm motility group than in the control group. The polyaminoxidase system is the most important factor in oxygen consumption in seminal plasma; however, it is likely that the high toxicity of polyamine degradation products is the cause of reduced and/or anomalous sperm motility in some seminal fluids
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