Karthik Raj: Testicular vs. Ejaculated Sperm – Why Their DNA Integrity Can Differ
Karthik Raj, Clinical Embryologist at The Boon IVF and Fertility, shared on LinkedIn:
”Testicular vs Ejaculated Sperm: Why Their DNA Integrity Can Differ
Not all sperm populations carry the same degree of genomic damage.
As sperm travel from the testis- epididymis- ejaculate, they undergo maturation and are exposed to different cellular and environmental conditions.
Ejaculated sperm may accumulate greater levels of oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation during epididymal transit, particularly in conditions associated with varicocele, inflammation or impaired sperm quality.
Testicular sperm, being retrieved closer to the site of spermatogenesis, may therefore demonstrate lower sperm DNA fragmentation in selected men with high ejaculated SDF, despite similar conventional semen parameters.
This has made testicular sperm retrieval an area of interest in selected cases of persistently elevated sperm DNA fragmentation and previous ART failure.
But it is not a universal strategy.
The decision to use testicular rather than ejaculated sperm requires consideration of the underlying male- factor diagnosis, SDF assessment, previous ART outcomes, surgical implications and available evidence.
The sperm we see in the ejaculate is not necessarily a perfect representation of the sperm genome that was produced in the testis.”
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