This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jeyendran, R. S. Articles by Zaneveld, L. J. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jeyendran, R. S. Articles by Zaneveld, L. J. D.

Development of an assay to assess the functional integrity of the human sperm membrane and its relationship to other semen characteristics

Summary. The objective of this study was to develop a relatively simple test to evaluate the functional integrity of the membranes of human spermatozoa. As in some other species, human spermatozoa 'swell' under hypo-osmotic conditions due to the influx of water and the expansion of the membranes. A mixture of equal parts of fructose and sodium citrate (150 mosmol) with calculated ionic strength of 0·15 resulted in a maximal number of clearly identifiable swollen spermatozoa. Only small variations were seen when different aliquants of the same semen samples were separately evaluated. A high correlation (r = 0·94) was obtained between expected and observed values of swollen spermatozoa when known amounts of heat-treated spermatozoa, unable to undergo swelling, were added to untreated spermatozoa. A good correlation (r = 0·90) was also observed between the % spermatozoa in a semen sample that were capable of undergoing swelling and the % of denuded hamster oocytes that were penetrated by capacitated spermatozoa from the same semen sample. By contrast, the correlations between % sperm swelling in ejaculates and % normal sperm forms, % motile spermatozoa and % spermatozoa that do not stain with eosin-Y (supravital stain) in the same ejaculates were 0·30,0·61 and 0·52, respectively. Therefore, the hypo-osmotic swelling technique to evaluate the functional integrity of the sperm membrane appears to give high repeatability and accuracy and is closely correlated to the in-vitro fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. It may be a useful addition to the standard semen analysis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Santiago-Moreno, C. Castano, M. A. Coloma, A. Gomez-Brunet, A. Toledano-Diaz, A. Lopez-Sebastian, and J. L. Campo Use of the hypo-osmotic swelling test and aniline blue staining to improve the evaluation of seasonal sperm variation in native Spanish free-range poultry Poult. Sci., December 1, 2009; 88(12): 2661 - 2669. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Rennemeier, T. Frambach, F. Hennicke, J. Dietl, and P. Staib Microbial Quorum-Sensing Molecules Induce Acrosome Loss and Cell Death in Human Spermatozoa Infect. Immun., November 1, 2009; 77(11): 4990 - 4997. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Pal, P. Chakraborty, H N Ray, B C Pal, D. Mitra, and S. N Kabir Acaciaside-B-enriched fraction of Acacia auriculiformis is a prospective spermicide with no mutagenic property Reproduction, September 1, 2009; 138(3): 453 - 462. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.H. Yeung, F. Tuttelmann, M. Bergmann, V. Nordhoff, E. Vorona, and T. G. Cooper Coiled sperm from infertile patients: characteristics, associated factors and biological implication Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2009; 24(6): 1288 - 1295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Y. Rawe, E. S. Diaz, R. Abdelmassih, C. Wojcik, P. Morales, P. Sutovsky, and H. E. Chemes The role of sperm proteasomes during sperm aster formation and early zygote development: implications for fertilization failure in humans Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2008; 23(3): 573 - 580. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A M Petrunkina, D Waberski, A R Gunzel-Apel, and E Topfer-Petersen Determinants of sperm quality and fertility in domestic species Reproduction, July 1, 2007; 134(1): 3 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R.K. Jain, J.P. Maikhuri, S.T.V.S. Kiran Kumar, V.L. Sharma, A.K. Dwivedi, K. Mitra, V.K. Bajpai, and G. Gupta Novel disulphide esters of carbothioic acid as potent, non-detergent spermicides with low toxicity to Lactobacillus and HeLa cells in vitro Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2007; 22(3): 708 - 716. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A.H.D.M. Dam, I. Feenstra, J.R. Westphal, L. Ramos, R.J.T. van Golde, and J.A.M. Kremer Globozoospermia revisited Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2007; 13(1): 63 - 75. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Y. Khalil, A. M. Petrunkina, E. Sahin, D. Waberski, and E. Topfer-Petersen Enhanced Binding of Sperm With Superior Volume Regulation to Oviductal Epithelium J Androl, November 1, 2006; 27(6): 754 - 765. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Hakimi, I. Geary, A. Pacey, and A. Eley Spermicidal Activity of Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide Is Only Partly Due to Lipid A J Androl, November 1, 2006; 27(6): 774 - 779. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Anderson, K. A. Feathergill, D. P. Waller, and L. J. D. Zaneveld SAMMA Induces Premature Human Acrosomal Loss by Ca2+ Signaling Dysregulation J Androl, July 1, 2006; 27(4): 568 - 577. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Nixon, D. A. MacIntyre, L. A. Mitchell, G. M. Gibbs, M. O'Bryan, and R. J. Aitken The Identification of Mouse Sperm-Surface-Associated Proteins and Characterization of Their Ability to Act as Decapacitation Factors Biol Reprod, February 1, 2006; 74(2): 275 - 287. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Ebner, M. Moser, and G. Tews Possible applications of a non-contact 1.48 {micro}m wavelength diode laser in assisted reproduction technologies Hum. Reprod. Update, July 1, 2005; 11(4): 425 - 435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.N. Tomes, G.A. De Blas, M.A. Michaut, E.V. Farre, O. Cherhitin, P.E. Visconti, and L.S. Mayorga {alpha}-SNAP and NSF are required in a priming step during the human sperm acrosome reaction Mol. Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2005; 11(1): 43 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Rossato, C. Galeazzi, M. Ferigo, and C. Foresta Antisperm antibodies modify plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibit osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2004; 19(8): 1816 - 1820. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. W. Ecroyd, R. C. Jones, and R. J. Aitken Endogenous Redox Activity in Mouse Spermatozoa and Its Role in Regulating the Tyrosine Phosphorylation Events Associated with Sperm Capacitation Biol Reprod, July 1, 2003; 69(1): 347 - 354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. G. Schuster, L. M. Keller, R. L. Dunn, D. A. Ohl, and G. D. Smith Ultra-rapid freezing of very low numbers of sperm using cryoloops Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2003; 18(4): 788 - 795. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Gadkar, C.A. Shah, G. Sachdeva, U. Samant, and C.P. Puri Progesterone Receptor as an Indicator of Sperm Function Biol Reprod, October 1, 2002; 67(4): 1327 - 1336. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Butler, X. He, R. E. Gordon, H.-S. Wu, S. Gatt, and E. H. Schuchman Reproductive Pathology and Sperm Physiology in Acid Sphingomyelinase-Deficient Mice Am. J. Pathol., September 1, 2002; 161(3): 1061 - 1075. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V.Y. Rawe, S.B. Olmedo, A. Benmusa, S.M. Shiigi, H.E. Chemes, and P. Sutovsky Sperm ubiquitination in patients with dysplasia of the fibrous sheath Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2002; 17(8): 2119 - 2127. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-H. Yeung and T.G. Cooper Effects of the ion-channel blocker quinine on human sperm volume, kinematics and mucus penetration, and the involvement of potassium channels Mol. Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2001; 7(9): 819 - 828. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Rattanachaiyanont, W. Weerachatyanukul, M.-C. Leveille, T. Taylor, D. D'Amours, D. Rivers, A. Leader, and N. Tanphaichitr Anti-SLIP1-reactive proteins exist on human spermatozoa and are involved in zona pellucida binding Mol. Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2001; 7(7): 633 - 640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. C. Richer and W.C.L. Ford A critical investigation of NADPH oxidase activity in human spermatozoa Mol. Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2001; 7(3): 237 - 244. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Bohring, E. Krause, B. Habermann, and W. Krause Isolation and identification of sperm membrane antigens recognized by antisperm antibodies, and their possible role in immunological infertility disease Mol. Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2001; 7(2): 113 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-H. Yeung, A. Wagenfeld, E. Nieschlag, and T. G. Cooper The Cause of Infertility of Male c-ros Tyrosine Kinase Receptor Knockout Mice Biol Reprod, August 1, 2000; 63(2): 612 - 618. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				Q.V. Dyk, S. Lanzendorf, P. Kolm, G.D. Hodgen, and M.C. Mahony Incidence of aneuploid spermatozoa from subfertile men: selected with motility versus hemizona-bound Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2000; 15(7): 1529 - 1536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Montag, K. Rink, G. Delacretaz, and H. van der Ven Laser-induced immobilization and plasma membrane permeabilization in human spermatozoa Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2000; 15(4): 846 - 852. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. B. Zeyneloglu, V. Baltaci, S. Ege, A. Haberal, and S. Batioglu Detection of chromosomal abnormalities by fluorescent in-situ hybridization in immotile viable spermatozoa determined by hypo-osmotic sperm swelling test Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2000; 15(4): 853 - 856. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-H. Yeung, E. Sonnenberg-Riethmacher, and T. G. Cooper Infertile Spermatozoa of c-ros Tyrosine Kinase Receptor Knockout Mice Show Flagellar Angulation and Maturational Defects in Cell Volume Regulatory Mechanisms Biol Reprod, October 1, 1999; 61(4): 1062 - 1069. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. M. Hossain, S. Barik, B. Rizk, P. M. Kulkarni, and I. H. Thorneycroft Analysis of In Vitro Migration Patterns of Human Spermatozoa by a Petri Dish-Based Horizontal Column Biol Reprod, August 1, 1999; 61(2): 406 - 410. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G.J. Morris, E. Acton, and S. Avery A novel approach to sperm cryopreservation Hum. Reprod., April 1, 1999; 14(4): 1013 - 1021. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-J. Glander and J.Schaller Binding of annexin V to plasma membranes of human spermatozoa: a rapid assay for detection of membrane changes after cryostorage Mol. Hum. Reprod., February 1, 1999; 5(2): 109 - 115. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Okada, H. Fujioka, N. Tatsumi, M. Fujisawa, K. Gohji, S. Arakawa, H. Kato, S.-I. Kobayashi, S. Isojima, and S. Kamidono Assisted reproduction for infertile patients with 9+0 immotile spermatozoa associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease Hum. Reprod., January 1, 1999; 14(1): 110 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Aitken, M Paterson, H Fisher, D. Buckingham, and M van Duin Redox regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation in human spermatozoa and its role in the control of human sperm function J. Cell Sci., January 5, 1995; 108(5): 2017 - 2025. [Abstract] [PDF]