BACKGROUND Evidence supports the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of male reproductive processes such as spermatogenesis, spermiogenesis, sperm motion, sperm metabolism and sperm capacitation. However, low concentration of NO is essential in biology and physiology of spermatozoa, but high amounts of NO is toxic and has negative effects on sperm functions. On the other hand, it is e...

Oxidative stress is detrimental to sperm function and a significant factor in the etiology of male infertility. This report examines the association between dietary and supplementary intake of the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene and sperm chromatin integrity. Eighty-seven healthy male volunteers donated semen samples, completed food-frequency questionnaires, and provided in...

The routine examination of semen, which assesses sperm concentration, percentage motility and morphology, does not identify subtle defects in sperm chromatin architecture. The focus on the genomic integrity of the male gamete has intensified recently due to the growing concern that genetic diseases may be transmitted via assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Accordingly, the intent of this re...

There is growing concern over the effect of sperm cryopreservation on DNA integrity and the subsequent development of offspring generated from this cryopreserved material. In the present study, membrane integrity and DNA stability of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis spermatozoa were evaluated in response to cryopreservation with or without activation, a process that happens upon exposure t...

Adding antioxidants to semen extenders could reduce post-thaw sperm damages. Glutathione is an important intracellular antioxidant that has free radicals scavenging properties and multiple effects on DNA and protein synthesis. In the present study, effects different levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) containing 0 (control), 1.0, 2.5, or 5.0 mM in a nanomicelle-based extender on post-thaw quali...

Infertility is a common yet complex problem affecting approximately 10-15% of couples attempting to conceive a baby. Especially, 40-50% of these factors are known as male-related disorders. Unlike female infertility, the cause of which is often easily identified, diagnosing male factors can be difficult. Male infertility is due to low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages of sp...

BACKGROUND In humans, it is now well documented that rising paternal age is correlated with decreased sperm DNA integrity and embryonic developmental failures. On the other side of the coin, it is also reported that very young fathers such as teenagers carry an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. These observations suggest that, at least in humans, there is an age window for optimal sperm...

background: diabetes mellitus (dm), primary or idiopathic is a chronic disorder of the carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. dm may impact male reproductive function at several levels. it is shown that dm has detrimental effects on sperm parameters in human and experimental animals. objective: the aim of this study was to observe the effects of diabetes on sperm parameters (viability, cou...

BACKGROUND Human sperm DNA damage may adversely affect reproductive outcomes, and the spermatozoa of infertile men possess substantially more DNA damage than that of fertile men. To date, there is no available treatment for men with high levels of sperm DNA damage. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of varicocelectomy on sperm DNA denaturation (DD, an index of sperm DNA damag...

Extensive use of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) could alter semen quality and sperm DNA at different stages of spermatogenesis. Acephate is a highly toxic extensively used OP and, therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of acephate on human semen quality and sperm DNA integrity. Sperm collected from healthy males were exposed to 0, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL of acephate and incubated for 1 h...