The vital aspect of reproductive medicine is the question of the viability and usefulness of the gamete. Clarification of the mechanisms leading to dysfunctions and reduced viability of male germ cells is of undoubted theoretical and practical importance for andrology and reproductive medicine.

THE AIM OF THE WORK

Was to identify whether spermatozoa of men of different fertility are capable of starting the process of spontaneous and activated apoptosis after ejaculation, while in vitro.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Apoptosis of freshly isolated sperm and spontaneous apoptosis of germ cells of fertile (n=40) and infertile (n=78) men after 24 hours of incubation under standard conditions was determined by binding of phosphatidylserine on the surface of sperm membranes with Annexin-V. To evaluate activated apoptosis, gametes were preincubated for 2 and 4 hours with 200 μM hydrogen peroxide H₂O₂.

RESULTS

After in vitro ejaculation, loss of sperm viability of men of different fertility is not accompanied by activation of apoptosis. The activation of apoptosis can be triggered by oxidative stress in gamete fertile males. In spermatozoa of infertile patients, a violation of the activation of apoptosis was revealed in response to the action of a provoking factor.

CONCLUSION

The main way of gamete death in vitro is necrosis, and sperm markers of apoptosis are a consequence of processes that began before ejaculation.