Assessment of seminal calcium and magnesium levels in infertile men with varicocele before and after varicocelectomy

Quality of testicular spermatozoa improves with changes in composition of culture medium

BACKGROUND

Spermatozoa retrieved from the testis and epididymis are deprived of the beneficial effects of seminal fluid. Thus applying an artificial medium with normal seminal fluid characteristics, known as artificial seminal fluid (ASF), may provide an appropriate condition for improving some sperm parameters in azoospermia. The objective was to investigate the impact of in vitro exposure of testicular and epididymal spermatozoa to ASF on sperm quality. The study was conducted on testicular (n = 20) and epididymal (n = 20) sperm specimens obtained from azoospermic men. Each sample was divided into two equal parts: Part I) for processing and incubation with Ham's F10 medium; Part II) for processing and incubation with ASF.

RESULTS

After 2 h incubation, testicular sperm motility was significantly higher in ASF than in Ham's F10 medium. In comparison to 0 h, mitochondrial membrane potential levels of testicular spermatozoa were significantly higher after 2 h and 24 h in ASF and after 24 h in Ham's F10 medium. Furthermore, the data indicated significantly lower rates of epididymal spermatozoa with high MMP in both media after 24 h. There were no significant differences in the DNA fragmentation index of testicular and epididymal spermatozoa between ASF and Ham's F10 medium at different time points.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that in vitro incubation of testicular spermatozoa improved their motility more effectively than Ham's F10 medium in the short term (2 h), but had no effect on epididymal spermatozoa. Since the physiology of testicular spermatozoa is different from that of ejaculated spermatozoa, it seems that a special environment should be designed and used for each of them.

Bacteriospermia - A formidable player in male subfertility

Bacterial colonization of male reproductive tissues, cells, and fluids, and the subsequent impact of bacteria on the sperm architecture, activity, and fertilizing potential, has recently gained increased attention from the medical and scientific community. Current evidence strongly emphasizes the fact that the presence of bacteria in semen may have dire consequences on the resulting male fertility. Nevertheless, the molecular basis underlying bacteriospermia-associated suboptimal semen quality is sophisticated, multifactorial, and still needs further understanding. Bacterial adhesion and subsequent sperm agglutination and immobilization represent the most direct pathway of sperm-bacterial interactions. Furthermore, the release of bacterial toxins and leukocytic infiltration, associated with a massive outburst of reactive oxygen species, have been repeatedly associated with sperm dysfunction in bacteria-infested semen. This review serves as a summary of the present knowledge on bacteriospermia-associated male subfertility. Furthermore, we strived to outline the currently available methods for assessing bacterial profiles in semen and to outline the most promising strategies for the prevention and/or management of bacteriospermia in practice.

Reproductive Consequences of Electrolyte Disturbances in Domestic Animals

Electrolyte balance is essential to maintain homeostasis in the body. The most crucial electrolytes are sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl−), and calcium (Ca2+). These ions maintain the volume of body fluids, and blood pressure, participate in muscle contractions, and nerve conduction, and are important in enzymatic reactions. The balance is mainly ensured by the kidneys, which are an important organ that regulates the volume and composition of urine, together with which excess electrolytes are excreted. They are also important in the reproductive system, where they play a key role. In the male reproductive system, electrolytes are important in acrosomal reaction and sperm motility. Sodium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride are related to sperm capacitation. Moreover, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Na+ play a key role in spermatogenesis and the maintenance of morphologically normal spermatozoa. Infertility problems are becoming more common. It is known that disturbances in the electrolyte balance lead to reproductive dysfunction. In men, there is a decrease in sperm motility, loss of sperm capacitation, and male infertility. In the female reproductive system, sodium is associated with estrogen synthesis. In the contraction and relaxation of the uterus, there is sodium, potassium, and calcium. Calcium is associated with oocyte activation. In turn, in women, changes in the composition of the follicular fluid are observed, leading to a restriction of follicular growth. Imbalance of oocyte electrolytes, resulting in a lack of oocyte activation and, consequently, infertility.