Mitochondrial uncouplers impair human sperm motility without altering ATP content†.

In human spermatozoa, the electrochemical potentials across the mitochondrial and plasma membranes are related to sperm functionality and fertility, but the exact role of each potential has yet to be clarified. Impairing sperm mitochondrial function has been considered as an approach to creating male or unisex contraceptives, but it has yet to be shown whether this approach would ultimately block the ability of sperm to reach or fertilize an egg. To investigate whether the mitochondrial and plasma membrane potentials are necessary for sperm fertility, human sperm were treated with two small-molecule mitochondrial uncouplers (niclosamide ethanolamine and BAM15) that depolarize membranes by inducing passive proton flow, and evaluated the effects on a variety of sperm physiological processes.

Evidence of Spermatogenesis in the Presence of Hypothalamic Suppression and Low Testosterone in an Adolescent Transgender Female: A Case Report.

Objective: To report a novel case of semen cryopreservation after testicular sperm extraction in an adolescent transgender female without cessation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy and feminizing hormone therapy.

Methods: This is a case report of a 16-year-old transgender female using leuprolide acetate for 4 years and estradiol for 3 years requesting semen cryopreservation at the time of gender-affirming orchiectomy. She desired to proceed without cessation of gender affirming hormone therapy.

Triggering with 1,500 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin plus follicle-stimulating hormone compared to a standard human chorionic gonadotropin trigger dose for oocyte competence in in vitro fertilization cycles: a randomized, double-blinded, controlled noninferiority trial.

Objective: To assess if triggering with 1,500 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) with 450 IU of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) induces noninferior oocyte competence to a standard dose of hCG trigger used in in vitro fertilization (IVF). The alternative trigger will be considered noninferior if it is at least 80% effective in promoting oocyte competence.

Design: Randomized, double-blinded, controlled noninferiority trial.

Microfluidic preparation of spermatozoa for ICSI produces similar embryo quality to density-gradient centrifugation: a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial.

Study Question: Does processing of spermatozoa for IVF with ICSI by a microfluidic sperm separation device improve embryo quality compared with density-gradient centrifugation?

Summary Answer: Patients randomized to microfluidic sperm preparation had similar cleavage- and blastocyst-stage embryo quality and clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates to those who underwent standard sperm processing for IVF with ICSI.

What Is Known Already: Microfluidic sperm preparation can isolate spermatozoa for clinical use with minimal DNA fragmentation but with unclear impact on clinical outcomes.

Study Design, Size, Duration: A prospective randomized controlled trial of 386 patients planning IVF from June 2017 through September 2021 was carried out.

Microfluidic sorting selects sperm for clinical use with reduced DNA damage compared to density gradient centrifugation with swim-up in split semen samples.

Study Question: Does microfluidic sorting improve the selection of sperm with lower DNA fragmentation over standard density-gradient centrifugation?

Summary Answer: Microfluidic sorting of unprocessed semen allows for the selection of clinically usable, highly motile sperm with nearly undetectable levels of DNA fragmentation.

What Is Known Already: Microfluidic devices have been explored to sort motile and morphologically normal sperm from a raw sample without centrifugation; however, it is uncertain whether DNA damage is reduced in this process.

Study Design, Size, Duration: This is a blinded, controlled laboratory study of differences in standard semen analysis parameters and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in split samples from infertile men (n = 70) that were discarded after routine semen analysis at an academic medical center.

Follicle-stimulating hormone administered at the time of human chorionic gonadotropin trigger improves oocyte developmental competence in in vitro fertilization cycles: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether an additional follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) bolus administered at the time of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger can improve the developmental competence of the oocyte.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Posthumous sperm retrieval: analysis of time interval to harvest sperm.

Background: Current recommendations regarding posthumous sperm retrieval (PSR) are based on a small number of cases. Our purpose was to determine the time interval from death to a successful procedure.

Methods: Seventeen consecutive PSR procedures in 14 deceased and 3 neurologically brain-dead patients at two male infertility centres [Sheba Medical Center (SMC), Tel-Hashomer, Israel and University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA] were analysed.

The difficult MESA: findings from tubuli recti sperm aspiration.

Purpose: To investigate sperm quality aspirated from the tubuli recti compared to that obtained from microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA).

Methods: Sixteen patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) underwent MESA. Six MESA procedures were difficult, and therefore sperm were retrieved from the tubuli recti ductules.