Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF )
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (5)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wetzels, A. M.M.
Right arrow Articles by Hamilton, C. J.C.M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Wetzels, A. M.M.
Right arrow Articles by Hamilton, C. J.C.M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 137-141, 1995
© 1995 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Sperm functional changes and fertilization in vitro in co-culture with human skin fibroblasts

Alex M.M. Wetzels1, Ingrid Van der Auwera2, Bart A. Bastiaans, Henny J.M. Goverde, Hans M.G. Hollanders and Carl J.C.M. Hamilton

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St Radboud University Hospital P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2 Division of Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Catholic University Leuven B-3000 Leuven, Belgium

Correspondence: 1To whom correspondence should be addressed

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of human skin fibroblast monolayers on human sperm function and fertilization in vitro. Sperm function was evaluated using the hamster oocyte penetration assay (HOPA) and zona binding assay (ZBA) in medium alone and in co-culture with human skin fibroblast monolayers and suspensions. The ZBA was also studied in fibroblast conditioned medium and in bovine oviduct cell monolayers and suspensions. Fertilization was measured both in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) couples with a normal semen analysis (first study; randomized) and in IVF couples with subnormal semen analysis (second study; each patient served as its own control). The HOPA results were not significantly different with or without fibroblasts. In all co-culture situations and in conditioned medium the ZBA scored significantly lower than medium alone. No significant differences with respect to IVF were observed between the co-culture and the control group in either study. The mean fertilization rate per patient was ~60% in the group with normal semen analysis and ~25% in the group with abnormal semen analysis. From this study we conclude that although co-culture with human skin fibroblasts and epithelial cells influences the results of some sperm function tests, it does not influence fertilization in vitro.

Key words: co-culture/fertilization/function tests/human spermatozoa

Submitted on May 18, 1994; accepted on August 26, 1994.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Reproductive SciencesHome page
G. Teklenburg and N. S. Macklon
Review: In Vitro Models for the Study of Early Human Embryo-Endometrium Interactions
Reproductive Sciences, September 1, 2009; 16(9): 811 - 818.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.