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MSOME and Sperm Chromatin Status

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Non-Invasive Sperm Selection for In Vitro Fertilization

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Abstract

Motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) involves the use of differential interference contrast microscopy (also called Nomarski contrast microscopy) to observe motile human spermatozoa at high magnification (at least 6,300×). Hence, this technique can evidence sperm head vacuoles that are not necessarily seen at lower magnifications—particularly if the vacuole is small (i.e., if it occupies <4 % of the sperm head’s area). However, a decade after the introduction of MSOME, the nature of sperm head vacuoles is still unclear. Are the vacuoles physiological or pathological? Are they linked to specific nuclear characteristics? And is the presence of one or more vacuoles a sign of a low-quality nucleus? Here, we discuss the links between vacuoles and the chromatin status of human spermatozoa. Our own research and the literature data prompt us to conclude that sperm-head vacuoles are nuclear in nature and are closely linked to chromatin condensation failure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproductive Biology and Cytogenetics, Poissy General Hospital, 10, Champ Gaillard Street, 78303, Poissy, France

    Florence Boitrelle MD & Martine Albert MD

  2. EA 2493, Versailles University of Medicine and Science, 78000, Versailles, France

    Florence Boitrelle MD & Martine Albert MD

Authors
  1. Florence Boitrelle MD
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  2. Martine Albert MD
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Correspondence to Florence Boitrelle MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cleveland Clinic, Andrology Center & Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

  2. Fertility - Centro de Fertilização Assistida, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Edson Borges Jr.

  3. Instituto Sapientiae - Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa em Reprodução Assistida, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Amanda S. Setti

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Boitrelle, F., Albert, M. (2015). MSOME and Sperm Chromatin Status. In: Agarwal, A., Borges Jr., E., Setti, A. (eds) Non-Invasive Sperm Selection for In Vitro Fertilization. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1411-1_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1411-1_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1410-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1411-1

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