Sperm motility

Spermatozoa are fast-moving cells driven by their tail, which is a single large flagellum. In many species (e.g., mammals), the spermatozoa are 

Sperm motility is essential for fertilization. For example, mammalian sperm samples with too few motile cells or with too sluggish cells cannot fertilize the female egg [1, 64, 113]. 

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Anaphylactoid or hypersensitivity reactions, aggravation of existing infections, malaise, increase or decrease in sperm motility and number... 

Mouse 25 wk (Swiss CD-1) (F) 250 (reduced number and proportion of live pups per litter and decreased fertility index) 250 M (decreased sperm motility and concentration, increased percentage of abnormal sperm, atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, decreased fertility index) Chapin et al. 1988 TCP... 

Decreases in sperm motility and increased acid phosphatase activity were reported to result from oral administration of 0.05 mg/kg lead in drinking water to male rats for 20-30 days in a study from the former U.S.S.R. (Krasovskii et al. 1979). Dystrophic changes of the Leydig cells were reported in gonadal tissues of rats exposed to doses as low as 0.005 mg lead/kg/day. The weaknesses of the study include absence of data on the strain and number of rats used, and the fact that PbB levels were not reported. 

Cattle Organic versus conventional fodder Reduced sperm motility in bulls transferred from organic to conventional fodder sperm motility restored when returned to organic fodder (Aehnelt and Hahn, 1978)... 

Grossly elevated concentrations of dissolved copper produce teratogenicity in fish embryos. A significant number of malformed fish larvae came from eggs treated with 500 pg Cu/L (Birge and Black 1979). In studies with laboratory animals and elevated concentrations of copper salts, copper penetrates the placental barrier into the fetus intramuscular injection of 4 mg Cu/kg BW early in pregnancy adversely affects fetal central nervous system development (Aaseth and Norseth 1986). In humans, no definitive data are available on whether copper can cause birth defects however, incubation of human spermatozoa with metallic copper results in loss of sperm motility (Aaseth and Norseth 1986). 

Increased concentrations of copper in ejaculates (16 mg/kg DW vs. 2 in controls) and liver (1435 mg/kg DW vs. 63). Sperm motility in test rams was significantly decreased, abnormalities were increased, and testes copper was elevated (96-101 mg/kg DW vs. 60-69 in controls)... 

Timourian, H. and G. Watchmaker. 1977. Assay of sperm motility to study the effects of metal ions. Pages 523-536 in H. Drucker and R.E. Wildung (eds.). Biological Implications of Metals in the Environment. Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual Hanford Life Sciences Symposium at Richland, Washington, September 29-October 1, 1975. Energy Res. Develop. Admin. Sympos. Ser. 42, CONF-750929. 

Clapper, D.L., PL. Lamothe, J.A. Davis, and D. Epel. 1985b. Sperm motility in the horseshoe crab. V zinc removal mediates chelator initiation of motility. Jour. Exper. Zool. 236 83-91. 

Complications Epididymitis and chronic prostatitis (uncommon) Male infertility (decreased sperm motility and viability) Pelvic inflammatory disease and associated complications (i.e., ectopic pregnancy, infertility) Premature labor, premature rupture of membranes, and low-birth-weight infants (risk of neonatal infections is low) Cervical neoplasia... 

Prenatal and postnatal exposures to fenvalerate reduced prostate and seminal vesicle weights and plasma testosterone levels in male rats [55], A chronic study showed no adverse effects on reproductive tissues at a high dose level of 1,000 ppm [142]. In vivo and in vitro studies with rats and mice suggested that fenvalerate may affect male and female reproduction, possibly due to calcium transport alteration [143-146], One paper reported that fenvalerate affected human sperm count and sperm motility of male workers who were exposed to fenvalerate in a pesticide factory [147]. 

Song L, Wang YB, Sun H et al (2008) Effects of fenvalerate and cypermethrin on rat sperm motility patterns in vitro as measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis. J Toxicol Environ Health A 71 325-332... 

Sperm counts can be performed with sperm from either the testis or the epididymis. Sperm motility is commonly being treated as a measure of sperm viability. The addition of sperm evaluation greatly increases the sensitivity of the study to detect effects on sperm maturation and the current study design will likely detect more male effects than previous designs even though the treatment period has been shortened. 

Gonadal function (e.g., sperm count, sperm motility)... 

Occupational exposure to chlordecone for up to 1.5 years caused oligospermia and decreased sperm motility in male workers. However, no loss of fertility was reported by the workers (Guzelian 1982a Taylor 1982, 1985 Taylor et al. 1978). Refer to Section 2.2.1.5 for further details. 

Linder RE, Strader LF, McElroy WK. 1986. Measurement of epididymal sperm motility as a test variable in the rat. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 36 317-324. 

Reproductive Effects. No studies were located regarding reproductive effects in humans or animals following inhalation or dermal exposure to di-ra-octylphthalate. No studies were located in humans following oral exposure to this compound. However, di-ra-octylphthalate has been shown to cause significant decreases in human sperm motility in vitro (Fredricsson et al. 1993). 

Reproductive Toxicity. No studies were located regarding reproductive effects in humans or animals following inhalation or dermal exposure to di-ft-octylphthalate. No studies were located in humans following oral exposure to this compound. Di-u-octylphthalate caused significant decreases in human sperm motility in vitro (Fredricsson et al. 1993). The results of several acute- and intermediate-duration oral studies in rodents indicate that the potential of di-w-octylphthalate to cause adverse reproductive effects is low. Unlike other phthalate esters such as di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, di-w-octylphthalate does not appear to adversely affect testicular function or morphology (Foster et al. 1980 Gray and Butterworth 1980 Heindel et al. 

Fredricsson B, Moeller L, Pousette A, et al. 1993. Human sperm motility is affected by plasticizers and diesel particle extracts. Pharmacol Toxicol (Copenhagen) 72(2) 128-133. 

Chemically-induced testicular damage can be recognized by changes in sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm morphology (V robek 1984). Reduced fertility, a highly sensitive biomarker, may... 

It is obvious that these commonalties can be tailored to achieve successful contraceptive formulations with varying degrees of efficacy, user friendliness, and aesthetics. U.S. marketed contraceptive products all contain N9 as the spermicide at various concentrations. These products rely only on the mechanism of sperm destruction by the nondiscriminating surfactant effects of the spermicide, as effects of the carrier system on sperm motility are generally minimal. No claim of activity against STDs and HIV are made by current contraceptive products, with the exception of full barrier methods such as condoms. 

Figure 9.21 The creatine/phosphocreatine shuttle in spermatozoa. This shuttle may not be present in all sperm it will depend upon the distance between the mitochondria and the flagellum. Mitochondria are present in the midpiece just below the head. ATP is required for movement of the flagellum which enables the sperm to swim. Dynein ATPase is the specific motor ATPase, similar to myosin ATPase, that transfers energy from ATP to the flagellum. A deficiency of creatine may explain low sperm motility in some infertile men. CK - creatine kinase. Deficiences of enzymes in the pathway for synthesis of creatine are known to occur (see Appendix 8.3).

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