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Structure of Chromatin in Human Sperm Bound to Hyaluronic Acid: The Benefits of PICSI Dish Mediated Sperm Selection

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Sperm Chromatin

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Abstract

In the past two decades, the Huszar laboratory focused upon the objective biochemical markers of sperm cellular maturity and development, and the characteristics of sperm in which cellular development is arrested during spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis. In assays directed to sperm cellular maturity/development, several sperm attributes were studied, including (a) excess cytoplasm (arrested cytoplasmic extrusion), (b) low expression of the HspA2 chaperone protein, a protein of the synaptonemal complex that supports meiosis, as well as the delivery of essential components in developing sperm, such as DNA repair enzymes or chromatin elements, (c) sperm shape (affected by cytoplasmic extrusion and insertion of the tail) according to the criteria detected by the Metamorph computer-assisted program or by the Tygerberg strict morphology, and (d) the relationship between sperm nuclear events (such as presence of chromosomal aneuploidies and excess residual histones). The primary focus of this chapter is related to recent reports that studied human sperm chromatin complexity and sperm HA-binding capacity. The studies suggest that the numerical chromosomal aberrations and persistent histones, i.e., errors in the spermatogenetic and spermiogenetic phases of male germ cell development, are associated. This chromatin deficiency associated with high persistent histones and relative lack of protamines affects DNA folding and renders the sperm DNA more vulnerable. It appears that these two phenomena correspond with each other and, thus, is responsible for defining sperm DNA integrity, fertility, and sterility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sperm Physiology Laboratory and Male Fertility Program, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Gabor Huszar MD (Director)

  2. Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey

    Leyla Sati MSc

Authors
  1. Gabor Huszar MD
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  2. Leyla Sati MSc
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Correspondence to Gabor Huszar MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. St. Mary's Hospital, Div. Urology, McGill University, Lacombe Avenue 3830, Montreal, H3T 1M5, Québec, Canada

    Armand Zini

  2. Lerner College of Medicine, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Euclid Avenue 9500, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

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Huszar, G., Sati, L. (2011). Structure of Chromatin in Human Sperm Bound to Hyaluronic Acid: The Benefits of PICSI Dish Mediated Sperm Selection. In: Zini, A., Agarwal, A. (eds) Sperm Chromatin. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6857-9_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6857-9_28

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