Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on paraffin-embedded placental tissues as an adjunct for understanding the etiology of early spontaneous abortion.

Objectives: An investigation of first-trimester spontaneous abortions (SAs) for those cases in which karyotype is not available was designed to test the efficiency of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on paraffin-embedded tissues combined with pathological examination for understanding the etiology of SAs.

Methods: Pathological examination of 202 placental tissues from SAs was performed. FISH analysis was then carried out on paraffin-embedded tissue sections from the same abortion products with probes specific for chromosomes 13, 16, 18, 21, X, Y.

Changes in protamine 1 distribution in human sperm nucleus during in vitro sperm-oocyte interaction: an immunoelectron microscopic study.

Objective: To determine whether the process of sperm nuclear destabilization would begin before sperm-oocyte fusion in humans.

Design: Changes in the distribution of human protamine 1 were investigated in human spermatozoa from the ejaculate, in spermatozoa selected by swim-up or Percoll techniques, and in spermatozoa bound to zona pellucida (ZP) from oocytes that failed to fertilize in an IVF program.

Setting: Center for Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology, and university departments.

Nuclear maturity of human spermatozoa selected by swim-up or by Percoll gradient centrifugation procedures.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sperm preparation techniques and nuclear maturity, as evidenced by the electrophoretic profiles of sperm nuclear proteins.

Design: Analysis of sperm nuclear quality in sperm populations used for IVF.

Setting: Center for infertility and assisted reproductive technology and university departments.

Diamine oxidase activity and biochemical markers in human seminal plasma.

Diamine oxidase (DAO), an enzyme which degrades polyamines, is present at a very high level in human seminal plasma and is assumed to come mainly from the prostate. The possible relationships between DAO activity and biochemical markers of accessory sex glands were evaluated in 139 men in barren marriages. Four groups were formed: normozoospermic (n = 41), asthenozoospermic (n = 29), oligoasthenozoospermic (n = 35) and azoospermic (n = 34).

Ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study of P1 protamine localization in human testis.

Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against human protamine P1 were realized. Anti-P1 specificity was assessed by western-blot and confirmed by ELISA. Monoclonal antibody 97-3 was selected.