Zona pellucida (ZP) plays a key role in the recognition, combination and penetration of sperms and oocytes, the prevention of multiple impregnation, the protection of embryos, and so on. The paper reviews the constitution, molecular structure, biological function and application of zona pellucida in male fertilization.
Acrosome Reaction ; physiology ; Animals ; Female ; Fertility ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Zona Pellucida ; chemistry ; physiology

Inhibin B, a dimeric glycoprotein, is directly secreted by the testis and responses to a diversity of exogenic hormones. Serum inhibin B levels will be influenced by different factors, such as age, testis volume, the time of puberty, the time of sample collection, varied groups of people and so on. Inhibin B is directly relevant to spermatogenesis of the testis and can be viewed as a valuable marker to assess male fertility. The determination of serum inhibin B has an applicable value in diagnosing the etiology of male infertility, assessing the damage to spermatogenesis in men after radiotherapy or chemiotherapy, and evaluating therapeutic effect on cryptorchidism and varicocele. Moreover, as far as assisted reproductive technology is concerned, the investigation of serum inhibin B has a predictive value in testicular sperm extraction.
Fertility ; physiology ; Humans ; Inhibins ; analysis ; physiology ; Male ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology

The epididymal protease inhibitor (Eppin) has recently been cloned in human and mice, which is specifically expressed in the epididymis and testis. Eppin is a cystine-rich secretory protein which contains signal peptide, WAP and BPTI motifs. Eppin is involved in sperm maturation and fertilization, and in the innate immune system of human epididymis. Immunocontraception with Eppin is effective and reliable, but its safety is to be further proved. This paper summarizes the effects of Eppin of fertilization and immunity, as well as its utilization in immunocontraception.
Animals ; Contraception, Immunologic ; Epididymis ; immunology ; Fertility ; physiology ; Haplorhini ; Male ; Mice ; Proteins ; immunology ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the Pollination Characteristic of C. deserticola.

METHODFour pollination methods were used, cross pollination coming different plant, cross pollination in one plant, wind pollination and no-pollination.

RESULTCross pollinations coming different plant are fructiferous. The average fructication rate of cross pollination coming different plant is 94.1%; the average fructication rate of cross pollination in one plant is 52.2%; The seed qulitity of cross pollination coming different plant is better than the cross pollination in one plant.

CONCLUSIONCross pollinations coming different plant have a high quantity and quality of seeds of C. deserticola.

Cistanche ; growth & development ; Fertility ; physiology ; Flowers ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Pollen ; physiology

Progesterone, as a female hormone, plays an important role in the physiological function and pregnancy maintenance in women. Recent studies show that progesterone and its receptor are also involved in male reproduction, and its receptor mRNA exists in male sexual glands. It is believed that progesterone, binding to its receptor, can regulate spermatogenesis and improve the fertilization of sperm, while the sperm from those with oligospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratospermia or unexplained infertility exhibit a low fertility due to the deficient expression of the progesterone receptor and insensitive reaction to progesterone. This review focuses on the progress in the studies of progesterone and its receptor in male reproduction.
Fertility ; Humans ; Male ; Progesterone ; physiology ; Receptors, Progesterone ; physiology ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testis ; metabolism

The present review is intended to give an outlook on the relationship between male reproduction and seminal vesicles, which are an important subsidiary gonad of males and play a key role in male fertility process. Seminal vesicle secretion is important for semen coagulation and may promote sperm motility, increase stability of sperm chromatin, and suppress the immune activity in the female reproductive tract. Furthermore, the sexual function of males is closely related to the swelling degree of seminal vesicles. The abnormal function of seminal vesicles may give rise to sexual dysfunction and infertility of males.
Fertility ; physiology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; physiopathology ; Male ; Reproduction ; physiology ; Seminal Vesicles ; physiology ; physiopathology ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; physiology

An optimal fluid microenvironment in the female reproductive tract is considered to be crucial for successful reproductive events. Fluid absorption and secretion across the reproductive tract epithelia largely depends on electrolyte transport through the apically and basolaterally located ion channels, working together with an array of other transporters. This review will discuss the role of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in regulating the fluid volume and composition of the reproductive tract and their importance in various reproductive events such as sperm capacitation and implantation. Disturbance of the fluid microenvironment due to defects or abnormal regulation of these ion channels as causes for a number of pathological conditions, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndromes, hydrosalpinx and infertility, is also discussed.
Animals ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; physiology ; Epithelial Sodium Channels ; physiology ; Female ; Fertility ; physiology ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; physiopathology

AIMTo analyze the relationship between sperm mitochondrial membrane potential and sperm motility parameters by means of a computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA) and in-vitro fertilization rate(%FR).

METHODSSemen samples were obtained from 26 men undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Informed consent was obtained from all men prior to the study. Samples were prepared using wash and swim-up method in HEPES-HTF medium. The sperm motility (%MOT), progressive motility (%PMOT), average path velocity (VAP) microm/s), straight line velocity (VSL) (micro m/s), curvilinear velocity (VCL) (microm/s) and %hyperactivated sperm (%HA), and the %FR were assessed. The samples were incubated in the presence of 2.0 mciromol/L of 5,5',6,6'-tetra-chloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolyl-carbocyanine iodide (JC-1) for 30 min at 37 degrees C in air and washed in PBS before flow cytometry (FACSCalibur: Becton Dickinson) analysis. The mitochondrial probe JC-1 was used to identify the mitochondrial membrane potential. The sperm was divided into three populations according to the fluorescence pattern as follows: the high mitochondrial membrane potential group (n=8), the moderate group (n=5), and the low group (n=13). Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired t-test.

RESULTSSignificant differences were found between the high and the low groups in %MOT (91.1+/-8.5 vs 63.0+/-32.7, mean+/-SD), VAP (73.0+/-14.2 vs 52.1+/-12.5), VCL (127.0+/-28.1 vs 87.0+/-22.6), %HA (27.3+/-23.6 vs 7.2+/-9.0) and %FR [73.2 (48/56) vs 59.0 (69/117)]. No significant differences were found in other CASA parameters.

CONCLUSIONWhen the sperm mitochondrial membrane potential increases, sperm motility parameters and fertility potential will also increase. The JC-1 dye method is useful to predict sperm fertility potential.

Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertility ; physiology ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Intracellular Membranes ; physiology ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; physiology ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Semen ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

Adult ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Fertility ; physiology ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal ; surgery

Epigenetic factors play an important role in male infertility though about 60%－65% of the disease is idiopathic and its underlying causes are not yet clear. Many studies have indicated that epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone tail modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs, may be involved in idiopathic male infertility. Abnormal methylation is associated with decreased sperm quality and fertility. It is known that 1 881 miRNAs are related to male fertility and such non-coding RNAs as piRNA, IncRNA, and circRNA play a regulating role in male reproduction. This review focuses on the value of epigenetics in the etiology and pathogenesis of male infertility, aiming to provide some evidence for the establishment of some strategies for the treatment and prediction of the disease.
DNA Methylation ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; physiology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Spermatozoa