R171H missense mutation of INSL6 in a patient with spermatogenic failure.

Insulin-like peptide 6 (INSL6) is a newly identified insulin/relaxin family peptide hormone that is predominantly expressed by the male germ cells in testes. A recent murine study demonstrated that INSL6-knockout results in spermatogenic failure. In the present study, human INSL6 gene was screened for mutations that may contribute to human spermatogenic failure.

[Application of flow cytometry to the evaluation of semen quality].

Objective: To evaluate the role of flow cytometry in semen assessment.

Methods: Semen samples from 104 infertile male patients (as the case group) and 10 fertilized donors (as the control group) were analyzed for the volume of ejaculate and sperm concentration, motility and atypical morphology by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), the viability, chromatin structure and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of the sperm stained by SYBR-14/PI, AO and JC-1 respectively, and assessed with flow cytometry. The results were analyzed through SAS software.

[Measurement of the reactive oxygen species and cytokines in the seminal plasma of leukocytospermic patients].

Objectives: To detect the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and interleukin 8(IL-8) in seminal plasma of infertile patients, and evaluate the possible relationship between those levels.

Methods: Semen was collected from normal donors (15 cases), infertile men without infection (16 cases), and infertile men with infection (leukocytospermia, 11 cases). The routine analysis of semen was accomplished, and then the levels of IL-8, malondialdehyde (MDA), SOD, and white blood cell (WBC) were examined.