Effect of progesterone on acrosome reaction, hypoosmotic swelling test, and DNA stability in human spermatozoa

The association between different sperm parameters, an in vitro effect of p rogesterone, has not been studied satisfactorily. In this article, the effe ct of progesterone on acrosome reaction (AR), plasma membrane integrity, an d chromatin stability has been assessed in human spermatozoa with normal mo rphology and motility. Semen samples were obtained by masturbation from 25 patients. Two criteria of classification were utilized in this study: high motility group and normal morphology group incubated with progesterone. The effect of progesterone on AR, plasma membrane integrity, and chromatin sta bility in human spermatozoa with normal morphology and motility was realize d. The results suggest that only the subpopulation of spermatozoa with norm al morphology is able to undergo the progesterone-induced AR. It is possibl e that in the reproductive female tract it takes place a high selection of sperm with chromatin stability determined and optimal plasma membrane to un dergo the AR prerequisite for the fecundation.