Vitality

Vitaltest® allows the evaluation of the quality of the sperm membrane and the differentiation between live spermatozoa (intact membranes) and dead ones (affected membranes).

Rapid application, reliable, and low-cost technologies are essential for quantifying the state of the cell populations. The viability of spermatozoa in any ejaculate is related to the presence or absence of altered membranes.

Spermatozoon motility is highly dependent on its vitality. In cases of asthenozoospermia (percentage of motile spermatozoa below 32%), it is essential to determine the presence of live spermatozoa vs. dead spermatozoa. The overwhelming presence of dead spermatozoa in an ejaculate (necrozoospermia) indicates serious sterility.

Vitaltest® uses fluorescent microscopy to visualise those live cells, which glow green, while dead ones appear red. Vitaltest® can be used for cell counts using flow cytometry.

Its use is advisable for patients with progressive motility below 40% to evaluate the proportion of live and dead spermatozoa. This test is used as a check on the motility evaluation, as the percentage of dead cells should not exceed that of immotile spermatozoa.

Cases of necrozoospermia are related to epididymal pathology (Wilton et al, 1988; Correa-Pérez et al, 2004). A high percentage of vital but immotile spermatozoa is indicative of structural defects in the flagellum (Chemes and Rawe, 2003).

Applications of Vitaltest®:

Immediate determination* of the quality of the membrane of spermatozoa in the ejaculate.
Determination of necrozoospermia
The incubation of sperm with the reagent is not necessary.

References:

Chemes EH, Rawe YV (2003) Hum Reprod Update. 9:405-28.
Correa-Pérez JR et al. (2004) Fertil Steril. 81:1148-50.
Wilton LJ et al. (1988) Fertil Steril. 49:1052-58.