Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
10:24
Evaluation of Intracellular Location of Reactive Oxygen Species in Solea Senegalensis Spermatozoa
Published on: March 11, 2018
Antioxidants and sperm DNA damage: a clinical perspective
Armand Zini1, Maria San Gabriel, Abdulaziz Baazeem
1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. ziniarmand@yahoo.com
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
|September 22, 2009
Summary
Dietary antioxidants may reduce sperm DNA damage in infertile men, but more research is needed. In vitro antioxidants show promise against external oxidants but their effectiveness against internal factors remains unclear.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Molecular Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Sperm DNA damage is higher in infertile men and may affect reproductive outcomes.
- Assisted reproductive technologies raise concerns about using sperm with DNA damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the rationale for antioxidant therapy in men with sperm DNA damage.
- To evaluate the efficacy of dietary and in vitro antioxidants on sperm DNA damage.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on antioxidants and sperm DNA damage.
Main Results:
- Dietary antioxidants may reduce sperm DNA damage, especially in men with high fragmentation.
- Clinical studies are limited, and mechanisms of action are not fully established.
- In vitro antioxidants protect sperm DNA from exogenous oxidants, but effects on endogenous ROS and processing are unknown.
Conclusions:
- Dietary antioxidants show potential for reducing sperm DNA damage.
- Further research is required to establish efficacy and mechanisms for both dietary and in vitro antioxidants in various clinical scenarios.
Related Concept Videos
01:41Spermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...
01:22Sperm Structure and Semen Composition
During ejaculation, males release around 2-5 milliliters of semen, which is a complex mixture of mature sperm and various fluids produced by accessory glands. The mature sperm cells measure approximately 60 micrometers in length and consist of a head, neck, midpiece, and tail. The head is flattened and tapered, measuring about 4 to 5 micrometers in length. It contains a nucleus with condensed chromosomes and an acrosome, a cap-like structure filled with enzymes essential for penetrating the...
01:20Radical Autoxidation
The oxidation of an organic compound in the presence of air or oxygen is called autoxidation. For example, cumene reacts with oxygen to form hydroperoxide. Autoxidation involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Many organic compounds are susceptible to autoxidation—especially ethers in the presence of oxygen, which form hydroperoxides. Even though this reaction is slow, old ether bottles contain small amounts of peroxide, which leads to laboratory explosions during ether...
02:36DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle
In response to DNA damage, cells can pause the cell cycle to assess and repair the breaks. However, the cell must check the DNA at certain critical stages during the cell cycle. If the cell cycle pauses before DNA replication, the cells will contain twice the amount of DNA. On the other hand, if cells arrest after DNA replication but before mitosis, they will contain four times the normal amount of DNA. With a host of specialized proteins at their disposal,cells must use the right protein at...
01:35Mutations
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
01:30Spontaneous and Induced Mutations
Spontaneous mutations arise infrequently during DNA replication due to errors in the process. A key factor behind these errors is tautomeric shifts in nitrogenous bases, where bases transition from keto to enol forms or amino to imino forms. This shift can alter base-pairing rules, leading to mutations. Additionally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) arising from aerobic metabolism can damage DNA, resulting in depurination (loss of a purine base) or depyrimidination (loss of a pyrimidine base).