INFLUENCE OF COCULTURE WITH ESTABLISHED HUMAN ENDOMETRIAL EPITHELIAL AND STROMAL CELL-LINES ON SPERM MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS

The effects of co-culture of human spermatozoa with human immortalized endometrial cells - epithelial or stromal - on sperm movement charact eristics, including hyperactivation, were studied using computer-assis ted sperm analysis (CASA), Epithelial and stromal cell types could be separated following 8-10 days of culture of endometrial cells originat ing from human biopsies, Both cell types were immortalized by the SV 4 0 large T antigen, Co-incubation of sperm with epithelial and stromal monolayers enhanced the rate of hyperactivation: 24.9% (P < 0.05) and 17.8% (P = 0.05) versus 9.5% as control, respectively, whereas the maj ority of motility parameters remained unchanged, Conditioned media had no effect upon sperm parameters, including hyperactivation. Co-incuba tion with either monolayer was able to maintain sperm motility over a longer period than incubation in control medium alone, In four patient s whose spermatozoa did not exhibit hyperactivation, co-incubation wit h epithelial cells, but not conditioned medium, allowed normal rates o f hyperactivation (range: 6.9-15.6%).