Membrane Potential Fluorimetry Assessment As A Predictor Tool For Human Sperm Fertilizing Capacity

CARLA RITAGLIATI; CARLOS CARIZZA; VALENTINA TORRES MONSERRAT; MARIANO G BUFFONE; CAROLINA BARO GRAF; CINTIA STIVAL; DARIO KRAPF

Philadelphia

Congreso; 45th American Society of Andrology Annual Conference; 2020

American Society of Andrology

Introduction and Objectives:Mammalian sperm cannot fertilize the egg without suffering certain physiological changes triggered during its course through the female reproductive tract, known as capacitation. Plasma membrane hyperpolarization associated to capacitation is well described for mouse sperm, and shown to be both necessary and sufficient for sperm to undergo the acrosome reaction (AR). Considering this, our aim was to answer the following questions: What happens with the human sperm membrane potential (Em) during capacitation? Is it involved in acquisition of acrosomal responsiveness and in fertilization competence?Methods:Samples were classified according to the World Health Organization parameters and capacitated for 3 hours. Em measurements were performed using the potentiometric dye DISC3(5) in a fluorimetric set-up which results in an absolute Em value. The AR was evaluated using progesterone as an inductor and sperm were stained with PSA-FITC. IVF patients had normal spermograms and had no female conditions related to diminished ovarian reserve.Results:Among normospermic donors a significant Em hyperpolarization was evidenced during capacitation (from ?42.6±13.4 mV to ?48.9±16.3 mV, p