Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P56851 (epididymal)
 11,273 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Generally it is believed that mammalian sperm mature during their transit through the whole epididymis. However spermatozoa aspirated from the epididymal duct or vasa defferentia have been recently reported to move actively in azoospermic patients with seminal tract obstruction. We examined whether the testicular sperm move which would provide useful information in the diagnosis of male infertility. Testicular biopsy materials were obtained from 38 testes of 37 patients as follows; 19 cases with azoospermia, 11 with oligozoospermia, and 8 orchiectomized for prostatic cancer (3), testicular cancer (2), epididymal abscess (1), and cryptorchid (2). All materials were obtained from either open biopsy or from the normal portion of the orchiectomized testis. The material was minced with a sharp knife or scissors in an Eppendorf tube containing Ham's F12 solution. Then a couple of drops of sperm suspension were placed on a warmed (37 degrees C) slide glass which was then covered with a coverglass. The prepared slide was immediately examined by phase-contrast microscopy. Another part was used for preparing a touch smear for confirming the presence of testicular sperm and then was fixed in Bouin's solution and stained with H-E. Spermatogenesis was evaluated by Johnsen's mean score (JMS). Eleven of the 19 azoospermic cases revealed the presence of testicular sperm, and ten of them demonstrated the presence of motile sperm. The mean JMS in these cases was 8.8 (normal spermatogenesis). After surgical exploration or vasography, these patients were diagnosed with obstructive azoospermia (post-vasectomy (4 cases), congenital absence of vas deferens (2 cases), secondary epididymal duct obstruction (4 cases)).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Significance of the motile sperm presented in the testis]. 759 83

In Japan, Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41), a Japanese Kampo preparation is used extensively in the treatment of idiopathic male infertility. In order to elucidate the mechanism of how this drug affects spermatogenesis, we examined the effects of the sera from male mice to which TJ-41 was administered orally, on protein synthesis in cultured hamster epididymal cells. Golden hamster epididymal cells were cultured in RPMI1640 medium supplemented with FCS for 7 to 10 days. After the initial culture period, the medium was changed to RPMI1640 supplemented with 1 microCi/ml [3H]-leucine and 10% serum from male ICR mice to which TJ-41 was orally administered for 7 days. The culture was then continued for 20 hours, and the uptake of [3H]-leucine into the cultured hamster epididymal cells was measured. The uptake of [3H]-leucine was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in cells cultured in media supplemented with sera from the TJ-41 treated mice than in cells cultured with control sera. Elements in the sera from control and TJ-41 treated mice were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (Waters HPLC, type 510; Milipore) with a mu-Bondapack C18 column. Several new peaks were detected in the sera from TJ-41 treated mice. These results and the clinical data suggest that TJ-41 may promote the synthesis of several proteins which might he related to the functional maturation of spermatozoa in the epididymis.
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PMID:Effects of hochu-ekki-to, a Japanese kampo medicine, on cultured hamster epididymal cells. 787 42

When in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is used for severe male infertility, the zona pellucida constitutes a major barrier to sperm-oocyte interaction, a barrier that may, in principle, be overcome by micro-injecting one or more spermatozoa into the sub-zonal perivitelline space ('sub-zonal insemination' or SZI). We have defined suitable patients for SZI as having 'extreme' male factor in that they have either shown a failure of fertilization in previous IVF cycles or had < 50 000 motile spermatozoa recoverable after semen preparation. (This is distinct from those with only 'severe' male factor in whom sufficient (> 50 000) motile spermatozoa could be recovered from a semen preparation.) A total of 213 SZI cycles were performed at Sydney IVF in the 4 year period September 1988 to September 1992, for extreme male factor patients with previous IVF failures or extremely low sperm numbers for whom SZI was the first option (about two-thirds and one-third of cases respectively). A total of 138 embryo transfers are reported, producing 20 clinical pregnancies after performing SZI on 1899 oocytes. One patient miscarried at 12 weeks gestation and there have been nine normal deliveries (so far) of 10 healthy infants. The first delivery was in February 1990. One pregnancy was achieved in the only patient in whom spermatozoa were obtained by epididymal aspiration, and transfer of three cryopreserved embryos in another patient resulted in a singleton pregnancy. Of the 492 oocytes fertilized, 282 had two pronuclei (57.3%) and normal embryos were transferred in 138/213 (64.8%) treatment cycles, giving an overall pregnancy rate of 14.5% per embryo transfer or 9.4% per cycle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Sub-zonal insemination for extreme male factor infertility. 834 83

The importance of abnormalities of function and epididymis structure in the etiology of male infertility is still not well understood. We studied 52 individuals distributed in five age groups: fetuses, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. The region of the body of epididymis was obtained by autopsy and immediately fixed by immersion in a solution of 10% buffered formaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and histologically prepared. The samples were observed under an optic microscope. Test-points were counted in 12 random microscopic fields with the M42 test-system. The following stereological parameters were determined: ductal area, volumetric densities (Vv) of the duct, smooth muscle, connective tissue, epithelial duct and blood vessels. The main results distinguished by those whose averages were statistically significant (p < 0.05), showed that the ductal area is 9.7 times greater in the adolescent/adult/elderly group than the children's group. The Vv of the lumen of the epididymis duct occupies 11.7% of the epididymis body in the fetal period, 5.3% in the child and in individuals after puberty this figures reaches more than 15%. The Vv of smooth muscle occupies 28.3% of the body of the epididymis in the fetus and 35.9% in children, but after puberty this figures stays around 22%. The Vv of the connective tissue occupies 26% in prenatal life, 37% in children, and after puberty these figures range from 21 to 27.5%. Comparing the results of the adult group with that of the elderly group there is an increase in the volumetric density of the connective tissue by 18.1%. In conclusion, the epididymal duct area and the Vv of the ductal lumen, smooth muscle and connective tissue were significant comparing the different groups. However, the quantitative relative differences of the duct's epithelium and the blood vessels were not significant comparing these groups. The study of quantitative aspects of the normal human epididymis can increase our knowledge about male fertility.
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PMID:[Stereology of the human epididymis in different groups of age: fetus, children, adolescents and elderly]. 855 33

The results and rationale of using testicular and epididymal spermatozoa with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for severe cases of male infertility are reviewed. A total of 72 consecutive microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) cases were performed for congenital absence of the vas (CAV) and for irreparable obstructive azoospermia. ICSI was used to obtain normal embryos for transfer and fertilization in 90% of the cases. The overall fertilization rate was 46% with a normal cleavage rate of 68%. The pregnancy and delivery rates per transfer were 58 and 37% respectively. The delivery rate per cycle was 33%. In many cases, no epididymal spermatozoa were available and so testicular sperm extraction (TESE) was used for sperm retrieval. The transfer rate was lower with TESE (84 versus 96%) and the spermatozoa could not be frozen and saved for use in future cycles. However, there was little difference in pregnancy rates using epidiymal or testicular spermatozoa. The results were not affected by whether the obstruction was caused by CAV or failed vasoepididymostomy. Both fresh and frozen spermatozoa gave similar results; the only significant factor appeared to be the age of the female. Because of the consistently good results obtained using epididymal sperm with ICSI when compared with conventional IVF, and the similarly good results with testicular tissue spermatozoa, ICSI is mandatory for all future MESA patients. All CAV patients and their partners should be offered genetic screening for cystic fibrosis; hence pre-implantation embryo diagnosis should be available in any full service MESA programme. It is now clear that even with non-obstructive azoospermia, e.g. Sertoli-cell only, or maturation arrest, there are usually some small foci of spermatogenesis which allow TESE with ICSI to be carried out. This means that even in men with azoospermia due to absence of spermatogenesis or to a block in meiosis, there are usually a few spermatozoa available in the testes that are adequate for successful ICSI. Finally, it is likely that some forms of severe male factor infertility are genetically transmitted and although ICSI offspring have been shown to be completely normal, it is possible that the sons of these infertile couples will also require ICSI when they grow up and wish to have a family.
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PMID:The use of epididymal and testicular spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection: the genetic implications for male infertility. 856 37

Congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD) has been considered a virtually untreatable cause of male infertility. Men with this condition have been shown on testicular biopsy to have adequate spermatogenesis, and are theoretically producing sperm capable of fertilizing an oocyte. Yet epididymal transit was thought to be essential for the maturation of spermatozoa and development of their fertilizing ability since the characteristics of sperm motility improve as the sperm passes through the cauda. However recent studies in man have shown that spermatozoa aspirated from the obstructed caput epididymis and ductuli efferentia are, in fact, capable of fertilization in vitro. Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) from the proximal region (caput) of the epididymis, obtained 0.5 x 10(6) sperm per ml, following washing and direct swim-up. Twelve oocytes were inseminated and three embryos were generated for transfer. The patient conceived and delivered a healthy female baby weighting 2838 gm, on March 3, 1994. This is the first documentation in Taiwan of live birth resulting from MESA from a patient with CAVD combined with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
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PMID:Pregnancy following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer by microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration from a patient with congenital absence of the vas deferens: a case report. 863 33

The majority of men with cystic fibrosis (CF) are infertile due to a bilateral congenital absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). However, clinically affected CF patients present a spectrum of genital phenotypes ranging from normal fertility to severely impaired spermatogenesis and CBAVD. Recently, it has become apparent that CF can manifest itself as isolated CBAVD in the absence of other clinical symptoms. The present study was undertaken to test the possible involvement of the CF gene in the aetiology of male infertility other than CBAVD. Semen specimens from 127 unrelated healthy males with various diagnoses of reduced sperm quality were screened for a panel of 13 mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Fourteen of 80 (17.5%) healthy men with infertility due to reduced sperm quality and 3 of 21 (14.3%) men with azoospermia had at least one CF mutation (one azoospermic male was a compound heterozygote). The frequency of mutations in our sample of infertile males was significantly higher than the expected CF carrier frequency in the local population (P = 0.00139). No mutations were found in a control group of 26 individuals with normal semen parameters. This increased frequency of CF mutations in healthy men with reduced sperm quality and in men with azoospermia without CBAVD suggests that the CFTR protein may be involved in the process of spermatogenesis or sperm maturation apart from playing a critical role in the development of the epididymal glands and the vas deferens.
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PMID:Cystic fibrosis mutation screening in healthy men with reduced sperm quality. 867 Dec 56

Antisperm antibodies are one of the important factors in male infertility caused by vasal obstructions. To investigate the incidence of serum antisperm antibodies in patients with various kinds of seminal tract obstructions, we retrospectively analyzed the sera of 60 patients using the indirect immunobead test (IBT) to find serum antisperm antibodies. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA class antisperm antibodies were positive in 55% and 18% of those patients with a vasal obstruction caused by inguinal herniorrhaphy and in 60% and 20% of vasectomized patients respectively; whereas these antibodies were positive in 13% and 0% of those patients with an epididymal obstruction of unknown etiology and in 8% and 3% of those patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD). The incidence of antisperm antibodies was significantly higher in patients with a vasal obstruction than in those with an epididymal obstruction (p < 0.001).
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PMID:The incidence of antisperm antibodies in patients with seminal tract obstructions. 872 85

Congenital abnormalities of the genitourinary tract often coexist, and cryptorchidism is common in patients who have had imperforate anus. Twenty men who had pull-through procedures for imperforate anus in infancy have been evaluated for infertility. Seven had coexisting renal abnormalities, 4 had had recurrent epididymitis, 3 had had bilateral orchidopexies (at age 7 to 12), 2 had spina bifida, and 1 had a pituitary adenoma. Seven had no ejaculate (aspermia), 11 were azoospermic, 1 was severely oligozoospermic, and 1 had a normal sperm concentration in a small volume of ejaculate. Both vasa were blocked in 5 men, and this appeared to be a result of the original operative procedure. One vas was blocked in another 7 patients who had abnormalities on the contralateral side; three had epididymal blocks after epididymitis, and four had congenital malformations associated with an absent or ectopic kidney. After reconstruction (4), insertion of sperm reservoirs (4), microscopic epididymal sperm aspiration (2), or artificial insemination (1), sperm were retrieved from 9 men (ejaculated by 4) 2 pregnancies occurred. Male infertility after treatment of imperforate anus in infancy can be related to a wide variety of cause, some of which are amenable to treatment.
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PMID:Male infertility after surgery for imperforate anus. 874 22

Fifteen prepubertal rats were divided into 3 groups of 5 each: (1) hyperthyroid group (TH), the rats were treated with thyroxine (T4) (25 micrograms/100g body weight/day) for 60 days from the age of day 31 to day 90; (2) T4-withdrawal group (TH-T4), the rats were given T4 for 30 days from the age of day 31 to day 60 and then the T4 treatment was withdrawn for the following 30 days from the age of day 61 to day 90 and the animals were given vehicle during this period; and (3) control group, the rats were given vehicle for 60 days from the age of day 31 to day 90. All were killed at the age of day 91. Serum levels of testosterone, T4 and triiodothyronine increased in the TH group (P < 0.001). The levels decreased to the euthyroid status in the TH-T4 group. Hyperthyroidism caused various changes in the levels of epididymal lipids. The levels changed further or were restored differentially in the TH-T4 group. The number of spermatozoa decreased, in caput epididymis (CpE) as well as in cauda epididymis (CdE), in the TH group (P < 0.001). The number was not restored in the TH-T4 group. The forward motility of the spermatozoa, determined in CdE, decreased in the TH group (P < 0.001) and was not restored in the TH-T4 group. The study showed that chronic hyperthyroidism, induced at the prepubertal age, causes various changes in epididymal lipid composition and sperm parameters. The study may be helpful in revealing the reasons for male infertility in hyperthyroid patients.
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PMID:Influence of hyperthyroidism induced at prepuberty on the epididymal lipids, number and motility of spermatozoa in rats. 879 99


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