1,720,985 research outputs found
Retrospective assessement of potential negative synergistic effects of varicocele and tobacco use onb ultrastructural sperm morphology
No full textOBJECTIVES:
To investigate, in a retrospective study, whether smoking cigarettes increases the effect of varicocele on sperm morphology.
METHODS:
The semen quality of 2 groups of patients with varicocele were compared, those who smoked (n = 121) and those who did not (n = 158). The semen parameters were evaluated, and sperm morphology was assessed using transmission electron microscopy and quantitatively elaborated (fertility index, immaturity, necrosis, and apoptosis percentages).
RESULTS:
In the smoker and nonsmoker varicocele-associated cases, sperm motility and the results from transmission electron microscopy analysis were significantly impaired compared with controls. However, a nonsignificant difference was detected when the semen parameters were compared. Subsequently, we divided the patients into 4 groups: mild (> or = 1 but < or = 10 cigarettes/d), moderate (>10 but <20 cigarettes/d), and heavy (> or = 20 cigarettes/d) smokers and a group of randomly chosen nonsmoker patients with varicocele. The sperm motility, sperm concentration, and fertility index decreased and the percentage of sperm pathologic features increased as the number of cigarettes smoked daily increased.
CONCLUSIONS:
A detrimental effect of cigarette smoking (>10 cigarettes/d) associated with varicocele on sperm motility and morphology was observed. Because much of reduced fecundity associated with smoking may be reversed within 1 year of cessation, as reported in published studies, effective interventions targeted at helping patients quit smoking should be addressed for the benefit of general health and fertility
Two cases of sperm immotility: a mosaic of flagellar alterations related to dysplasia of the fibrous sheath and abnormalities of head-neck attachment
No full textObjective: To characterize the association of two systematic sperm defects.
Design: Case report.
Setting: University, Interdepartmental Centre for Research and Therapy of Male Infertility.
Patient(s): Patient 1, 42 years old, and patient 2, 38 years old, both with severe asthenozoospermia. Intervention(s): Family history, physical examination, hormonal analysis, microbial assays, semen analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry for tubulin, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for chromosomes 18, X, and Y.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Admixture of dysplasia of the fibrous sheath (DFS) and head-tail misalignment up to acephalic sperm detected by microscopic methods.
Result(s): In both patients, DFS was present in incomplete form and was associated with acephalic sperm and abnormal head-tail attachment. In patient 2, spermatozoa were also affected by necrosis that may cause fragmentation leading to short flagella; submicroscopic examination allowed defining only the origin of these "stumpy'' tails. Immunofluorescence confirmed the sperm alterations. FISH revealed an altered frequency of diploidy and disomy in patient 2 and a slight increase in diploidy in patient 1.
Conclusion(s): The importance of ultrastructural sperm evaluation for correct identification of sperm pathologies is evident, particularly regarding assisted reproduction technology and genetic risk assessment. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011; 95: 1787. e19-e23. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Studio ultrastrutturale e meiotico negli spermatozoi di uomini di coppie con abortività ricorrente
No full textGold and Silver nanoparticles are harmful for cultured human osteoarthritis chondrocytes
No full textUno studio ultrastrutturale e meiotico degli spermatozoi di pazienti con diabete insulino dipendente
No full textEffects of gold and silver nanoparticles in cultured human osteoarthritic chondrocytes
No full textThe aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) at different concentrations on cultured human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Cell viability and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression were evaluated by light microscopy. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission gun-based scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FEG-STEM/EDS) allowed us to localize NPs. Gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1, 3 and 13 and A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs -4 and -5 were carried out by real-time polymerase chain reaction. A cell viability test indicated a significant dose-dependent cytotoxic effect of both NPs. At concentrations of 160 and 250 μM NP light microscopy showed chondrocytes with signs of apoptosis and an increased presence of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Au-NPs were characterized by FEG-STEM/EDS and TEM analysis localized NPs in cytoplasm and in endocytotic vesicles. On the contrary, the Ag-NPs were undetectable by FEG-STEM/EDS and TEM. Increased gene expression, particularly in matrix metalloproteinase-3, was observed for both NPs (160 μM), but at a concentration of 250 μM the expression of the evaluated genes became lower. Our in vitro studies, although preliminary, suggest that engineered Au and Ag-NPs appear to be harmful for human osteoarthritic chondrocytes in high concentrations (160-250 μM). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
In Vitro Effect of Gold or Silver Nanoparticles on Meiotic and Postmeiotic Fractions of Rat Germinal Cells
No full textThe cytotoxicity of Au or Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on rat germinal cells was investigated in vitro. Rat germ cells separated by the STAPUT method in two different populations, pachytene spermatocytes (F5) and round spermatids (F3), were incubated (37°C, 60'-120') with 60 μM, 125 μM, 250 μM and 500 μM of Au/Ag-NPs. Cell viability was assessed with the Eosin Y test. Au or Ag-NPs were investigated with FEG-STEM/EDS and TEM. A dose-dependent effect on the viability of F3 and F5 populations was observed after incubation with Au-NPs or Ag-NPs (P<0.001). A significant decrease in cell viability was observed in F5 fractions compared to F3 fractions (P<0.05), except for the samples treated with 60μM of Au-NPs, and the decrease was also significant in all the samples treated with Ag-NPs compared to those incubated with Au-NPs (P< 0.05). Au-NPs were localized in spermatocytes and spermatids whereas Ag-NPs were undetectable. In conclusion, Au- NPs and Ag-NPs seem to exert a negative effect on rat germ cells, particularly on spermatocytes, that appeared significantly more compromised than spermatids. Further research is needed, mainly to carefully explore the possible genotoxicity of these NPs on germinal cells. © Collodel et al
Localization of AKAP4 and tubulin proteins in sperm with reduced motility
No full textAim: To perform screening, related to A-kinase anchoring proteins 4 (AKAP4) and tubulin proteins, in spermatozoa with absent or severely reduced motility in order to detect the status of the fibrous sheath and the axonemal structure. Methods: An immunocytochemical study of tubulin, used as a positive control, and AKAP4 was carried out to detect the presence and the distribution of these proteins in different sperm samples. The morphological characteristics of sperm were studied by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the results were elaborated using a formula reported in previous studies. PCR was carried out on DNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes to analyse partial sequences of the Akap4 and Akap3 genes. Results: Immunolabelling of tubulin and AKAP4 showed different patterns, which led us to divide the patients into groups. In group I, the absence of AKAP4 and tubulin was revealed, although these patients did not show alterations in the Akap4/Akap3 binding site. TEM evaluation highlighted that a high presence of necrosis was associated with total sperm immotility. In group II, a regular AKAP4 and tubulin signal was present, although motility was reduced and TEM analysis revealed the presence of immaturity. In group III, in which a weak AKAP4 label associated with normal tubulin staining and reduced motility was observed, a severe disorganization of the fibrous sheath was highlighted by TEM. Conclusion: While the role of AKAP4 in sperm motility is unclear, absent or weak AKAP4-labelling seems to be associated with absent or weak sperm motility
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