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Related Concept Videos

Spermatogenesis01:41

Spermatogenesis

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...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Overview of DNA Repair02:25

Overview of DNA Repair

In order to be passed through generations, genomic DNA must be undamaged and error-free. However, every day, DNA in a cell undergoes several thousand to a million damaging events by natural causes and external factors. Ionizing radiation such as UV rays, free radicals produced during cellular respiration, and hydrolytic damage from metabolic reactions can alter the structure of DNA. Damages caused include single-base alteration, base dimerization, chain breaks, and cross-linkage.
Chemically...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:38

Nucleotide Excision Repair

DNA Distortion and Damage
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
Nucleotide Excision Repair01:08

Nucleotide Excision Repair

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Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...

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Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
08:48

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Published on: April 21, 2022

Sperm DNA damage: how relevant is it clinically?

Victor E Beshay1, Orhan Bukulmez

  • 1Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9032, USA.

Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology
|February 28, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sperm DNA fragmentation testing lacks standardized thresholds, limiting its clinical utility. Current methods offer little insight into DNA damage, impacting natural conception but not intracytopstic sperm injection outcomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Andrology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) assessment is increasingly used in fertility evaluations.
  • The clinical significance and interpretation of SDF test results remain debated.
  • Current methods for measuring SDF have limitations in specificity and prognostic value.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the clinical impact and utility of current sperm DNA fragmentation testing.
  • To determine if existing SDF tests provide clinically meaningful information for reproductive outcomes.
  • To review the evidence regarding thresholds, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment implications of SDF.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on sperm DNA fragmentation tests and their correlation with fertility outcomes.
  • Analysis of different SDF assays and their proposed threshold values.
  • Examination of the impact of SDF on natural conception, assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and embryo development.

Main Results:

  • No consensus exists on threshold values for SDF across different tests, complicating interpretation.
  • SDF is associated with reduced pregnancy rates in natural conception and intrauterine insemination.
  • SDF does not appear to significantly impact outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  • Evidence for adverse reproductive effects of SDF in humans is inconclusive, despite animal studies.
  • The effectiveness of interventions to reduce SDF and improve fertility is not well-established.

Conclusions:

  • The lack of a standardized, clinically relevant SDF test with a defined cut-off level hinders routine clinical application.
  • Further research is needed to establish reliable SDF assays and their prognostic value in infertility.
  • Current SDF testing provides limited actionable information for guiding fertility treatment decisions.