ACROSIN ACTIVITY IN PELLETED FROZEN SPERM DOES NOT CORRELATE WITH IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION OF OOCYTES

Spermatozoa pelleted after swim-up were frozen and then analysed in ba tches for acrosin activity, using a spectrophotometric method, and exp ressed as mu IU mu g DNA(-1). A total of 259 sperm samples were analys ed and the acrosin activity compared with fertilization in vitro. Of t hese, 224 samples fertilized at least one oocyte and 35 samples failed to fertilize any oocyte. Analysis by Student's t-test indicated that there was a statistically significant difference (P=0.02) in acrosin a ctivity between the two groups. However, when samples that failed to f ertilize were matched for concentration, motility and normal morpholog y with samples that fertilized, this significance was lost (P=0.77). I t is concluded that total acrosin in pelleted sperm frozen after regul ar swim-up, does not correlate with fertilizing ability of spermatozoa used for insemination.