Katz D F, Overstreet J W, Hanson F W
Fertil Steril. 1980 Feb;33(2):179-86. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)44539-5.
A new experimental and theoretical procedure is described for characterizing the penetration of spermatozoa into cervical mucus in vitro. Semen is introduced to a prescribed volume of mucus contained in a flat capillary tube. Use of the tube enables the surface area of semen-mucus contact to be fixed, and provides excellent visualization of sperm movement in the mucus. The time interval of semen-mucus contact is also controlled. The number of motile sperm and their swimming speeds are determined in both the semen and mucus by hemocytometer counts and simple time-exposure photomicrography. The assay provides two new measures of the sperm-mucus interaction. The number of successful sperm entries into the mucus is compared with the number of original collisions between seminal sperm and the semen-mucus interface. The comparison is expressed as a ratio of the numbers of sperm in these two groups, viz., PSC = percentage of successful collisions. The vitality of spermatozoa that do succeed in entering the mucus is assessed by comparing their swimming speeds with those of sperm in the semen. This second comparison is also expressed as a ratio, viz., VR = velocity ratio = mean swimming speed in mucus/mean swimming speed in semen. The clinical application of the method to human semen and cervical mucus is described, and sample results are presented.
本文描述了一种新的实验和理论方法，用于体外表征精子穿透宫颈黏液的情况。将精液引入扁平毛细管中规定体积的黏液中。使用该毛细管可使精液与黏液的接触表面积固定，并能很好地观察精子在黏液中的运动。精液与黏液的接触时间间隔也受到控制。通过血细胞计数器计数和简单的定时曝光显微摄影术，测定精液和黏液中活动精子的数量及其游动速度。该测定提供了两种衡量精子与黏液相互作用的新方法。将成功进入黏液的精子数量与精液中的精子与精液 - 黏液界面之间最初碰撞的数量进行比较。该比较以这两组精子数量的比率表示，即，PSC = 成功碰撞百分比。通过将成功进入黏液的精子的游动速度与精液中的精子游动速度进行比较，评估成功进入黏液的精子的活力。这第二次比较也以比率表示，即，VR = 速度比率 = 黏液中的平均游动速度/精液中的平均游动速度。描述了该方法在人类精液和宫颈黏液中的临床应用，并给出了样本结果。
