关键词：男性不育,Human Repro,精子
2012年11月20日 讯 /生物谷BIOON/ --近日，刊登在国际杂志Human Reproduction上的一篇研究报告中，来自布朗大学等处的研究者表示，男性，精子长度的变异，尤其是精子鞭毛的变异将会严重降低男性有活力精子的数量。
在这项研究中，研究者对来自500个不育家庭中的103名男性进行了研究，测定了男性精子的头部、中部以及鞭毛，同时也测定了男性精子的其它特征，如精子浓度、运动能力等。研究结果显示，鞭毛长度、精子的长度较长、鞭毛/头部长度比也较大的男性，其活动精子的浓度较高。更有意思的是，男性产生的精子的长度不一致性越高，尤其是鞭毛的长度不一致性越高，那么其活力精子的浓度将越低。
研究者Mossman表示，这项研究为医生们提供了一种新型的诊断并且治疗男性不育的疗法，精子长度可测量的不一致性或许是男性精子发生的一个问题，这严重影响了男性活力精子的浓度以及男性的不育，而且也是男性睾丸功能的另一个间接的检测标志物。
导致精子产生出现问题的两个结果就是导致精子长度的不一致以及活力精子浓度的降低，有许多因素可以影响精子的产生，比如环境因素、遗传因素等，研究者表示，他们对研究者引发精子变异的研究非常感兴趣，而且研究者也希望揭示影响精子表型以及男性不育的根本原因。（生物谷Bioon.com）
编译自：Sperm Length Variation Is Not a Good Sign for Fertility
doi:10.1093/humrep/des382
PMC:
PMID:
Variation in mean human sperm length is linked with semen characteristics
Jim A. Mossman1,*, Jack T. Pearson2, Harry D. Moore3 and Allan A. Pacey2
STUDY QUESTION Are there any links between the length measurements of sperm components (head, midpiece, flagellum, total sperm length and the flagellum:head ratio) and data obtained during semen analysis? SUMMARY ANSWER Both the mean measurement and the variation in the lengths of sperm components are related to characteristics of semen. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Studies in non-human species have shown that sperm morphology (size and shape) is associated with testes productivity and the consistency of sperm manufacture. However, no study to date has investigated whether there are relationships between the size and consistency of human sperm components, and measures of semen characteristics, including sperm numbers and how well they swim. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION A retrospective laboratory study of the semen provided by 103 randomly selected men from a 500-man cohort who enrolled into the study between April and December 2006. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Men attending Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for semen analysis as part of investigations for infertility and whose ejaculates were found to contain sperm. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The mean flagellum length and the mean total sperm length were positively associated with semen characteristics measured manually, but were not associated with the sperm swimming speed measured by computer-aided sperm analysis. Ejaculates with a lower variation in the length of sperm components contained sperm that were more likely to be motile. The mean sperm length components accounted for up to 9% of the variance in semen characteristics, while the coefficient of variation accounted for up to 21%. LIMITATIONS AND REASONS FOR CAUTION The sperm examined were obtained from men undergoing fertility investigations and so these results may not reflect men in the general population. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Sperm length measurements may provide a useful insight into testis function and the efficiency of spermatogenesis. STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by funding from the University of Sheffield. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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