The effects of follicular fluid and platelet-activating factor on motion characteristics of poor-quality cryopreserved human sperm

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of follicular fluid and platelet-activatin g factor on sperm motion characteristics of cryopreserved oligospermic and normospermic samples. Methods: Sperm motion characteristics were evaluated prior to cryopreservat ion, immediately after thawing and following incubation in human tubal flui d, follicular fluid, or 1-muM platelet-activating factor cultures. Sixteen oligospermic samples and 20 normospermic samples were examined. Sperm motio n characteristics were analyzed manually according to WHO criteria (1999) a nd also with an automated videomicrography system. Result(s): Incubation in follicular fluid increased overall motility and th e percentage of sperm with fast progressive motility in normospermic but no t oligospermic samples. Incubation with platelet-activating factor increase d overall motility and the percentage of sperm showing nonprogressive motil ity in both oligospermic and normospermic samples. Conclusion(s): The stimulatory effects of culture in follicular fluid as se en in normospermic samples do not show a significant benefit in oligospermi c cryopreserved samples. Platelet-activating factor and follicular fluid in crease motility via different mechanisms. Incubation of oligospermic cryopr eserved sperm with PAF increases the number of motile sperm, thereby enabli ng easier identification of viable sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injecti on in samples with severe asthenozoospermia.