Effect of Exogenous Platelet-Activating Factor on Sperm Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction in Infertile Subjects

Objective: To study the effect of exogenous platelet activating factor on capacitation and acrosome reaction in sperms of infertile subjects. Subjects and methods: Twenty semen samples were collected as per WHO criterion for semen analysis from infertile males. The sperms were separated from the seminal fluid by using Sydney IVF Sperm gradient kit. Chlortetracycline (CTC) assay was employed to assess the specific immunofluorescent pattern in spermatozoa for incapacitation, capacitation and acrosome reaction. A group of sperms incubated in sperm washing medium was compared with the group of sperms incubated in exogenous PAF. Results: The results were obtained as percentage of sperms stained with chlortetracycline for the specific immunofluorescent pattern. A significant difference was found within the individual group in relation with incubation time, though no statistically difference was found when the two groups are compared with each other.