Assessment of fibronectin as a potential new clinical tool in andrology

In this prospective clinical study, 892 patients with normal and impaired s emen were examined in older to investigate the correlation between the conc entration of fibronectin in seminal plasma and the motility of spermatozoa. The fibronectin concentration in seminal plasma, total sperm motility and linear sperm motility were measured. We report here a significant negative correlation between the fibronectin concentration in seminal plasma and tot al sperm motility (r=-0.3474). There was no link between varicocele and vas ectomy, or between varicocele and variation in the concentration of fibrone ctin. It is concluded that higher concentrations of the acute-phase protein fibronectin may be a cause of severe reduction in sperm motility. The inve stigation of fibronectin concentrations in seminal fluid could be a new and helpful clinical tool in the assessment of male fertility.