Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026
Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
Published on: April 21, 2022
Study of mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation and cell viability by flow
Carole Marchetti1, Guillaume Obert, André Deffosez
1INSERM U459, Faculté de Médecine 1, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, Lille Cedex, France.
Background:
Sperm cell death appears to be a cause of male infertility. The objective of this study was to determine the most reliable method for the evaluation of sperm quality in semen samples during sperm preparation for IVF.
Methods:
Conventional analysis of semen samples was compared with several cytofluorometric methods detecting death-associated changes. Neat semen from infertile patients and sperm prepared by PureSperm gradient were studied by conventional microscopy and analysed for mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi(m)), generation of reactive oxygen species, DNA fragmentation and cell viability.
Results:
In neat semen, a positive correlation was found between the percentage of Delta Psi(m)(high) sperm cells and standard semen parameters (concentration/motility). Sperm cells depicting Delta Psi(m)(high) and cells with low DNA fragmentation displayed high fertilization rate after IVF. The only changes that could be detected in prepared sperm were changes in Delta Psi(m), with Delta Psi(m)(high) sperm positively correlated with forward motility and also with high fertilization rates after IVF.
Conclusion:
Analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential is the most sensitive test by which to determine sperm quality. These findings promise development of a test that may help to predict successful IVF.
