Adenomyosis and endometriosis. Re-visiting their association and further insights into the mechanisms of auto-traumatisation. An MRI study.

Purpose: In a series of publications, we had developed the concept that uterine adenomyosis and pelvic endometriosis as well as endometriotic lesions at distant sites of the body share a common pathophysiology with endometriosis constituting a secondary phenomenon. Uterine auto-traumatization and the initiation of the mechanism of tissue injury and repair (TIAR) were considered the primary events in the disease process. The present MRI study was undertaken (1) to corroborate this concept by re-visiting, in view of discrepant results in the literature, the association of adenomyosis with endometriosis and (2) to extend our views concerning the mechanisms of uterine auto-traumatization.

Validation of reference genes in human testis and ejaculate.

Beta-actin (ACTB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPD), Heat Shock Protein 1, beta (HSPCB) and Adenosine Triphosphate subunit 5 beta (ATP5B) with distinct functional characteristics and expression patterns were investigated as suitable references for gene expression studies. We determined the expression stability of the four reference genes in ejaculates, cryopreserved as well as fixed and paraffin-embedded testicular tissue (from fertile and subfertile men) applying real-time qRT-PCR and statistical analysis. The mean gene expressions (mean Ct value) were compared for each gene between the fertile and subfertile donors by using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test.

Both protamine-1 to protamine-2 mRNA ratio and Bcl2 mRNA content in testicular spermatids and ejaculated spermatozoa discriminate between fertile and infertile men.

Background: Human sperm contain similar amounts of protamine-1 (P1) and protamine-2 (P2). Although aberrant protamine ratios have been observed in infertile men, functional evidence is provided by protamine knockout mice exhibiting male infertility. As sperm DNA integrity is known to be linked with DNA fragmentation and apoptosis, we investigated whether the protamine ratio or Bcl2 content represent a reliable biomarker to discriminate fertile and infertile men.

Light retardance by human oocyte spindle is positively related to pronuclear score after ICSI.

Disturbed spindle assembly increases risks of chromosome mal-segregation. Non-invasive polarization microscopy (PolScope) was employed in two centres to assess spindle integrity for the first time quantitatively in human oocytes from consenting patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with respect to pronuclear (PN) score after fertilization. In one centre oocytes were selected before ICSI, in another selection was after ICSI according to PN score.

Influence of motility and vitality in intracytoplasmic sperm injection with ejaculated and testicular sperm.

The vitality of spermatozoa used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a crucial factor for fertilization, establishment and outcome of a pregnancy in assisted reproductive technique cycles. The sperm origin may also be a limiting factor, although little is known about this issue. It is known that the motility of injected spermatozoa and their origin from ejaculate or testicular biopsies are important predictors in terms of fertilization, pregnancy and birth rates.