The hemizona assay (HZA): a predictor of human sperm fertilizing potential in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The hemizona assay (HZA) was developed to assess human sperm fertilizing potential. This blinded study investigated the relationship between sperm binding to the hemizona and in vitro fertilization (IVF) success (36 patients). Nonliving human oocytes were recovered from excised ovaries and stored. Each zona pellucida was cut into equal hemispheres by micromanipulation. For the HZA, one droplet exposed a hemizona to abnormal spermatozoa, while the control droplet contained the matching hemizona and spermatozoa from normal semen. After 4 hr, the number of tightly bound spermatozoa was counted. Binding to the hemizona was significantly higher for those having IVF success (mean of 36.1 +/- 7, versus 10.4 +/- 4 from the failure group; P less than 0.05). Fewer sperm from the failure group had a strictly normal morphology (3.2 versus 12.7%; P less than 0.05, Kruger method). Tight zona binding was significantly correlated with the percentage motile sperm, percentage normal morphology, and seminal sperm concentration. These results enhanced our confidence that the HZA is diagnostic for identification of patients at high risk of failing to achieve fertilization in vitro.

publication date

  • February 1, 1989

Research

keywords

  • Fertilization in Vitro
  • Ovum
  • Sperm-Ovum Interactions
  • Spermatozoa
  • Zona Pellucida

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0024535592

PubMed ID

  • 2708877

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 6

issue

  • 1