[Effects of progesterone on intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in the spermatozoa of fertile men and patients with unexplained infertility].
Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue
; 15(11): 980-4, 2009 Nov.
Article
en Zh
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20218308
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the difference in the responsiveness of intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) to progesterone in the spermatozoa of normal fertile men and patients with unexplained infertility.METHODS:
Nine normal fertile men and 10 patients with unexplained infertility were selected in this study. After swim-up separation of the motile fraction and 2-hour in vitro capacitation, the spermatozoa were loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicator Fluo-3/AM (8.85 micromol/L) for 40 minutes away from the light, and then the sperm suspension was mixed with equal amount of 20% gelatin to immobilize the spermatozoa. The basal intracellular free [Ca2+]i and that induced by 10 micromol/L progesterone in the individual sperm were assessed by laser scanning confocal microscopy.RESULTS:
The infertile patients had a significantly lower basal level of [Ca2+]i in the capacitated sperm than the fertile men (P < 0.01). The sperm from the normal controls responded to progesterone by exhibiting a rapid but transient rise in [Ca2+]i, with the peak level significantly higher than the basal level (P < 0.05), while those from the infertile patients by showing a slight increase, with no significant difference between the peak and basal levels (P > 0.05). Both the peak of the progesterone-induced [Ca2+]i and its increase amplitude expressed as the difference between the peak and basal levels were significantly higher in the normal fertile group than in the infertile patients (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION:
The responsiveness of [Ca2+]i to progesterone is reduced in the spermatozoa of patients with unexplained infertility, which suggests a functional defect in the non-genomic sperm membrane progesterone receptor responsible for calcium influx.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Progesterona
/
Espermatozoides
/
Calcio
/
Reacción Acrosómica
/
Infertilidad Masculina
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
Zh
Revista:
Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA REPRODUTIVA
Año:
2009
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China