Effects of Autogenous Seminal Plasma on Vitality and Motility for the Recovery of Human Sperm in Cryopreservation

Shim, Ki Sik; Park, Jun Seok; Park, Nam Cheol

Abstract

PURPOSE: Intrinsic milieu of seminal plasma is important in maintaining the survival and fertilizing capacity of normal sperm. Nevertheless, there are still debates concerning the addition of seminal plasma during sperm preparation and cryopreservation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of autogenous seminal plasma on the recovery of frozen fertile and infertile human sperm.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Semen from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 infertile patients was used. Sperm pellet from each group was resuspended and cryopreserved with 0.5ml cryoprotectant. Cryoprotectant was added with 100% (group I), 75% (group II), 50% (group III), 25% (group IV) and 0% (group V) seminal plasma according to each group. After 3 days, each vial was thawed and examined about sperm concentration, motility and morphology by CASA and Makler chamber. Sperm vitality was examined by eosin-nigrosin stain.
RESULTS
The recovery rates of sperm motility and vitality after thawing in normal volunteers were higher in group I and II than other groups with statistical significance (p<0.05). However there was no difference between groups in sperm concentration and morphology (p>0.05). In the infertile patients all factors had no difference between groups.
CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the sperm quality following the addition of autogenous seminal plasma in cryoprotectant was improved in normal fertile men. This results may give a theoretical basis to support the clinical use and application for the seminal plasma to enhance the sperm quailty.