Introduction: SPERM VIABILITY Test is important in diagnosis and treatment of male infertility. The common test is E&N and HOST which they are based on membrane permeability and integrity. The aim of this study was to evaluate MTT Assay as a SPERM VIABILITY test based on mitochondrial activity. Materials and Methods: Washed SPERM samples were co-incubated with MTT in different media and different times in order to obtain the best condition for carrying out MTT assay. Then coefficient of variation of MTT was obtained and sensitivity and specificity of each test were calculated. Then MTT and E&N and HOST were carried out on 57 samples from infertile patient referring into Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center. Then correlation coefficient of these tests with each other and SPERM motility were obtained using SPSS software statistical program.Results: Ham's F-10 + 15 mM Hepes + 10% HSA at pH=7.4 at 37° c for 2 hours were the best condition for carrying out SPERM MTT VIABILITY Assay in order to obtain optimal results. MTT assay showed a good significant correlation with HOST and E&N and SPERM motility. All the test had high sensitivity but the specificity of HOST was less than that of E&N and MTT.Conclusion: MTT assay appears to be a suitable SPERM VIABILITY test with high sensitivity and specificity and low coefficient of variation. This test designed not only for differentiating but also selecting and sperating viable SPERM from dead SPERM. Therefore this test may have an application for intra-cytoplasmic immotile SPERM injection which remains to be study.

SPERM MTT VIABILITY Assay has been shown to be a suitable test for differentiation of viable from non-viable SPERMs. In this procedure MTT is converted to observable purple MTT Formazan by mitochondrial dehydrogenase in the midpiece region and therefore viable SPERMs can be distinguished which makes this test suitable for ICSI. Therefore, in order to study the effect of MTT positive SPERMs on fertilization, cleavage and blastocyst formation, 109 fresh human oocytes (metaphase II) were divided in to two groups; one group was injected with MTT positive SPERMs and the other one was taken as control. The results of study showed that there is not significant difference with respect to fertilization, cleavege and blastocyst formation between these two groups. Therefore, if MTT proves to be nether mitogenic nor teratogenic, SPERM MTT VIABILITY assay might be useful for ICSI in patients with absolute or severe asthenoSPERMia, especially in cases with tail abnormality.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Genistein is a soya phytoestrogen having estrogenic effects. Phytoestrogen has been introduced as one of the elements of unproductively in some animals, but previous studies on genistein role in male reproductive system have shown contradictory results. Since no similar study has taken place in Iran, the present study has been designed for evaluation of genistein effects on male reproductive system.METHODS: In this experimental study, 30 male rats with 13 weeks of age and limited weight of 220 to 250 grams were selected. They were divided into six groups of 5, and different genistein doses (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 mg/kg) were injected subcutaneously on 14 consecutive days to male rats. After 24 hours animal were killed and then their blood testosterone, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and (LH Luteinizing hormone) were measured via ELAISA method. SPERM count and VIABILITY were measured through WHO protocols.FINDINGS: There was a significant reduction in FSH plasma levels among groups that were injected low doses of genistein while by increasing the genistein dose the inhibitory effect of reducing became slower (p<0.05). There were not any significant differences between other indicators.CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, genistein has an effect on FSH level of plasma and the functioning of male reproductive system.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of human SPERM MTT VIABILITY assay on outcome of intracytoplasmic SPERM injection. MTT is a tetrazolium salt, routinely used for cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. Materials and Methods: 50μl of processed semen was treated with MTT solution, while the remaining used as the control. Meanwhile, 109 donated human oocytes (metaphase II) obtained from 12 patients were divided into two groups. Fifty five oocytes were injected using MTT positive SPERMs, while 54 oocytes were injected with SPERMs from the control group. Then the injected oocytes were cultured and observed at 18, 42, 66, 90, and 114 hours pos- ICSI. Finally, the fertilization and embryo development rates were compared in both groups. Results: No significant differences were observed between fertilization and embryo development rates in the MTT and control groups. Conclusion: In future studies after approving that the MTT has not cytotoxic or teratogenic effects, then SPERM MTT VIABILITY assay might be useful for ICSI in patients with absolute or severe asthenoSPERMia or in patients with highly deformed SPERM tails.

Background: Imidacloprid (IMD) is a systemic insecticide which acts as an insect neurotoxin and belongs to a class of chemicals called the neonicotinoids which act on the central nervous system of insects. According to previous studies, IMD is rated as "moderately toxic" on an acute oral basis to mammals and according to United States Environmental Protection Agency this compound is classified as class II and III of toxic chemicals and requires warning label. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible adverse effect of chronic exposure to IMD on SPERM content, motility and VIABILITY.Materials and Methods: Twenty four mature male rats were used. The animals were divided into control (received corn oil, 0.2 ml, once a day, orally), low dose IMDadministrated (received 112 mg/kg, once a day, orally) and high dose IMD-dosed (received 225 mg/kg, once a day, orally) groups. All animals received mentioned compounds for total of 60 days. The SPERM count was performed based on WHO method for SPERM count in rats.The SPERM motility analyzed and the eosin-nigrosin staining was used for evaluating SPERM VIABILITY.Results: The SPERM count significantly (p<0.05) decreased in IMD-administrated animals in comparison to control group. Accordingly the high-dose-administrated animals were manifested with 34.34±8.12 (x106) SPERM content versus low-dose-received 42.12±6.56 (x106) animals.Comparing percentage of immotile SPERMs between test and control group showed that, in IMDadministrated groups the SPERM motility significantly (p<0.05) decreased in comparison to control animals.This impairment developed depending on dose. Light microscopic analyses showed remarkable increase in percentage of dead SPERMs in test groups depending on administrated dosage.Conclusion: According to present findings, chronic exposure to IMD can remarkably reduce SPERM content, motility and VIABILITY, in turn it can influence the male fertilizing potential.

Background: Taurine regulates an unusual number of biological phenomena, including heart rhythm, contractile function, blood pressure, platelet aggregation, neuronal excitability and body temperature. It appears to be a SPERM motility factor (SMF), although the mechanism that maintains motility has apparently not been elucidated. It may act by alterations in either ion transport (osmoregulation) or protein phosphorylation or it may be decrease lipid peroxidation. In this syudy, we investigated the effects of various concentrations of taurine on in vitro SPERM motility over time.Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 6 lamb testis which gathered from abattoir. Semen samples were collected from epididymis and mixed with STALP medium+5 mg/ml V fraction of Bovine Serum Albumin. Before and after 120 minutes incubation at 37 oC and 5 % CO2, SPERM motility parameters were measured by CASA (Hooshmand Fanavar, Iran) in the presence of 0.05, 0.2 and 0.4 M taurine.Results: Our result showed that 0.2 M concentration of Taurine cause increase in SPERM motility, although this effect was not significant (p>0.05). In 0.4 M concentration of taurine, class A of SPERM motility significantly decreased (4.44±0.72 vs 35.68±7.4 for Taurine and control group respectively p<0.01) and class C motility significantly increased (11.24±1.25 vs.4.58±1.49 forTaurine and control group respectiely p<0.01).Conclusion: Present study demonstrated that although taurine could improve SPERM motility parameters, higher concentration of this compound (0.4 M) had detrimental effects on SPERM motility and VIABILITY.

Introduction: The immune system distinguishes between exogenous and endogenous materials. The break-down of blood-testis barrier results in the production of anti-SPERM antibodies. This may occur during the infection of prostate, seminal vesicles and epididymes. AntiSPERM antibodies (ASA) cause SPERM agglutination and affect SPERM motility, VIABILITY, and migration in the female reproductive tract. ASA also impair fertilization process. The objective of the present work was to study the effect of prednisolone on the SPERM motility index (SMI), SPERM VIABILITY, and SPERM penetration assay (SPA) in immunologically infertile men. Materials and Methods: The semen and serum samples of 140 infertile men were examined by microagglutination and slide agglutination tests to detect ASA and SPERM agglutination. Semen fluid analysis was performed to report SPERM motility index (SMI), SPERM VIABILITY, and hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST). SPERM penetration assay was done to record SPERM penetration rate (SPR), SPERM decondensation rate (SDR), and SPERM penetration index (SPI). Men with positive ASA were treated with prednisolone and considered as treated group. Prednisolone was given orally in a dose of 5 mg three times daily for 3 months. The semen analysis, SMI, HOST, and SPA were performed before and after treatment with prednisolone. 144 semen samples were enrolled in the treated group, while 80 samples were enrolled in the control fertile group. HOST-SPA positive semen was exposed to anti-SPERM antibodies separation (ASAS) and in vitro SPERM activation prior to intra-uterine insemination. Results: The SMI was significantly higher in the post-treatment group compared to pre-treatment group (240 vs. 52.5, P<0.01). The SPI in the control group was significantly higher than the post- and pre-treatment groups. The HOST and VIABILITY test results were significantly increased in the post-treatment group compared to pre-treatment group (73.42 vs. 48.56 and 71.36 vs. 50.74, respectively, P<0.01). The SPERM penetration rate, SPERM decondensation rate, and SPERM penetration index were significantly increased in the post-treatment vs. pre-treatment groups (26.49 vs. 10.84, 10.91 vs. 3.47, P<0.05; 14.45 vs. 4.30, P<0.01, respectively). HOST-SPA positive semen was used for intra-uterine insemination (IUI). The semen was exposed to ASAS and in vitro activation prior to IUI and resulted in 42.86% pregnancy rate per cycle. The pregnancy was confirmed by the observation of gestational sac and viable fetal heart beat, 5 weeks following IUI. Conclusion: It can be concluded that treatment of immunologically infertile men with prednisolone improves SMI, SPERM VIABILITY, and SPA results. The application of HOST-SPA positive semen for IUI resulted in successful pregnancy. The authors indicate that these viable SPERMatozoa with high fertilizing potential could be used for IVF and/or ICSI in immunologically infertile men.