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The Hemizona Assay for Assessment of Sperm Function

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Spermatogenesis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 927))

Abstract

The hemizona assay (HZA) has been developed as a diagnostic test for the tight binding of human spermatozoa to the human zona pellucida to predict fertilization potential. In this homologous bioassay, the two matching hemizona halves are functionally equal surfaces allowing controlled comparison of binding from a fertile control versus a test sample, with reproducible measurements of sperm binding obtained from a single oocyte. Oocytes from different sources (surplus from IVF treatment or recovered from ovarian tissue) are salt-stored and used after microbisection. Extensive clinical data have demonstrated excellent predictive power of the HZA for the outcomes of intrauterine insemination and IVF, and therefore the assay has relevance in the clinical diagnostic setting in infertility.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Sergio Oehninger & Mahmood Morshedi

  2. Reproductive Biology Unit, Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, RSA

    Daniel Franken

Authors
  1. Sergio Oehninger
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  2. Mahmood Morshedi
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  3. Daniel Franken
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Oehninger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Andrology and IVF Laboratories, Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Utah School of Medicine, Arapeen Dr. 675, Salt Lake City, 84108, Utah, USA

    Douglas T. Carrell

  2. , Andrology and IVF Laboratories, University of Utah School of Medicine, Arapeen Way 675, Salt Lake City, 84108, Utah, USA

    Kenneth I. Aston

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Oehninger, S., Morshedi, M., Franken, D. (2013). The Hemizona Assay for Assessment of Sperm Function. In: Carrell, D., Aston, K. (eds) Spermatogenesis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 927. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-038-0_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-038-0_9

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-037-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-038-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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