Chapter 13 – Oolemma Binding: Sperm Penetration Assay
Abstract Infertility is a difficult and stressful condition that impacts about 15 percent of couples attempting to conceive for the first time [1]. In about half of these cases a…
Chapter 12 – Zona Binding: Hemizona Assay
Abstract The incidence of infertility is up to 20–25 percent in men with poor semen quality with a contribution of the male factor in 30–50 percent of couples undergoing assisted…
Chapter 11 – Zona Binding: Competitive Sperm-Binding Assay
Abstract Today, about 10–15 percent of couples at reproductive age worldwide are infertile and they are unable to conceive naturally without medical assistance. Infertility can be caused by male-only factors,…
Chapter 10 – Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction: Histochemical Techniques to Determine Acrosome Reaction
Abstract Fertilization is an exceptionally specific cell recognition event that represents the culmination of a complex sequence of morphological and functional maturational events. In the case of the male gamete,…
Chapter 8 – Determination of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential by Flow Cytometry in Human Sperm Cells
Abstract Mitochondria are crucial organelles of eukaryotic aerobic cells (somatic and germ cells) because they produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and are modulators of ion homeostasis, generators of free radicals and…
Chapter 5 – Standard Semen Analysis: Morphology
Abstract The evaluation of sperm morphology as a standard procedure to be included in routine semen analysis is under persistent pressure due to several factors relating inter alia to the…
Chapter 9 – Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction: Fluorescence Techniques to Determine Acrosome Reaction
Abstract The acrosome reaction (AR) is an essential process of spermatozoa for fertilization and is characterized by the exocytosis of the acrosomal content and the release of hybrid membrane vesicles…
Chapter 7 – Sperm Vitality: Hypo-Osmotic Swelling Test
Abstract The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test, introduced in 1987 to assess the functional integrity of the human sperm membrane, appears to have withstood the test of time. Many articles have…
Chapter 6 – Sperm Vitality: Eosin-Nigrosin Dye Exclusion
Abstract Assessment of sperm vitality is an important component of semen analysis. It helps to distinguish spermatozoa that are alive and immotile from those that are dead. Sperm vitality can…
Chapter 3 – Standard Semen Analysis: Home Sperm Testing
Abstract The definition of infertility is often described as the inability of a couple to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. Male factor infertility is present in…
