Ramu Sivakumar, Jeyendran Rajasingam S
Andrology Laboratory Services Inc, Chicago, IL, USA.
Methods Mol Biol. 2013;927:21-5. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-038-0_3.
A functional membrane is requisite for the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa, as it plays an integral role in sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction, and binding of the spermatozoon to the egg surface. The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test evaluates the functional integrity of the sperm's plasma membrane and also serves as a useful indicator of fertility potential of sperm. The HOS test predicts membrane integrity by determining the ability of the sperm membrane to maintain equilibrium between the sperm cell and its environment. Influx of the fluid due to hypo-osmotic stress causes the sperm tail to coil and balloon or "swell." A higher percentage of swollen sperm indicates the presence of sperm having a functional and intact plasma membrane. Here, we present the detailed protocol for performing the HOS test and explain the results for interpretation.
功能性膜对于精子的受精能力是必需的，因为它在精子获能、顶体反应以及精子与卵表面的结合中起着不可或缺的作用。低渗肿胀（HOS）试验评估精子质膜的功能完整性，也是精子生育潜力的一个有用指标。HOS试验通过确定精子膜在精子细胞与其环境之间维持平衡的能力来预测膜的完整性。低渗应激导致的液体流入会使精子尾部卷曲、膨胀或“肿胀”。肿胀精子的比例越高，表明存在具有功能性和完整质膜的精子。在此，我们介绍进行HOS试验的详细方案并解释结果以供解读。
