ACROBEADS TEST USING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY-COATED IMMUNOBEADS - CLINICAL-APPLICATION

Acrosome-reacted sperm was examined in infertile and fertile males usi ng the Acrobeads test. The Acrobeads score was significantly higher in fertile males than in infertile males with normal or abnormal seminal findings (p < .005 and p < .001, respectively). The Acrobeads score w as 2 or more in all the fertile males, but 62% of the infertile males with abnormal seminal findings (p < .02). Therefore, a disturbance in the acrosome reaction is suggested to be one of the causes of decrease d fertility potential. A high correlation was found between Acrobeads score and sperm motility (r = .46, p < .001) or motile sperm concentra tion (r = .51, p < .0001). The Acrobeads test, the results of which re flect the acrosome condition of the sperm, is useful in the assessment of sperm function related to fertility.