Apoptosis in preimplantation mammalian embryo and genetics.

The presence of dead cells in the preimplantation mammalian embryo has been well described. Since Kerr et al. (1972), it has become apparent that these cells die by apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death.

Cyclodextrin enhances spermicidal effects of magainin-2-amide.

Magainins are antimicrobial peptides with known spermicidal activity. Their activity is inhibited by cholesterol present in eukaryotic cell membranes. Pretreatment of spermatozoa with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, which extracts cholesterol from cell membranes and induces capacitation, sensitizes them to magainin-2-amide as shown by a decrease in human sperm motility determined by computer-assisted sperm analysis and a concomitant decrease in sperm viability, as measured by MitoTracker(R) Red CMXRos labeling.

Proteasomes in human spermatozoa.

In the present study we describe the localization of proteasomes in human spermatozoa by means of immunolabelling with different monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies detected by confocal microscopy. Western blotting confirmed the specificity of the antibodies and has shown that proteasomes are present in spermatozoa and in seminal fluid. In spermatozoa proteasomes are concentrated in the neck region where the centrioles are located.

Localization of proteasomes in human oocytes and preimplantation embryos.

In the present study we describe the localization of proteasomes in human oocytes, apoptotic preimplantation embryos, and triploid preimplantation embryos by means of immunolabelling with the MCP21 monoclonal antibody detected by confocal microscopy. While in the oocytes proteasomes are scattered throughout the cytoplasm, in the pronuclear zygote they appear to concentrate at the periphery of the cytoplasm and do not enter the pronuclei. During early cleavage stages, proteasome immunolabelling is concentrated in the nuclei, while the examination of triploid blastocysts showed that proteasomes had a similar cellular distribution to somatic cell lines, i.

A randomized prospective study comparing pregnancy rates after clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin before intrauterine insemination.

Objective: To determine whether hMG offers an advantage over clomiphene citrate (CC) in achieving pregnancy after IUI with husband's sperm.

Design: Randomized prospective trial.

Setting: Infertility patients in a university teaching hospital.