Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Wittemer.
It has been demonstrated that the preovulatory follicular fluid creates a micro-environment which is of importance for normal sperm function. In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the role of human follicular fluid (HFF) on the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa.
Microinjection of capacitated sperm into the perivitelline space of oocytes has been performed in a case of male infertility attributed to excretory azoospermia. In this particular case, a spermatocele detected five years ago was observed, which provide motile spermatozoa. These sperm collected by direct puncture into the cyst, were capacitated using discontinuous Percoll gradient. After ovarian stimulation, seventeen oocytes were collected. Nine of them were used for classical IVF whereas the other eight were submitted to microinjection. Only one oocyte of the second group fertilized and cleaved 48 hours later. A clinical pregnancy was achieved after embryo transfer and a normal, healthy boy delivered at term.
Microinjection of capacitated sperm into the perivitelline space of oocyte was offered to one couple with persistent infertility of mixed origin. The husband's semen was subnormal, whereas his wife had definitive tubal occlusion and polycystic ovaries. Four previous in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts were performed but no fertilization was obtained. After superovulation, 13 oocytes were collected. Ten were submitted to microinjection and two were damaged during the procedure. One of the remaining eight had two pronuclei 18 hr after microinjection and progressed to a four-cell embryo after 48 hr. After reimplantation, a normal pregnancy was initiated, caryotype (46XX) was checked at 17 weeks. A normal and healthy girl has been delivered at term.
Peritoneal fluid probably has an important and complex role in fertility and infertility. In this study, in-vitro fertilization was attempted in peritoneal fluid and the classical B2-Menezo medium. Clinical criteria concerning male and female fertility and biological factors such as fresh semen quality, sperm survival, sperm-zona pellucida binding, cleavage and pregnancy rates were analysed for each infertile couple. The following results have been obtained. The quality of peritoneal fluid appears to fluctuate greatly from one woman to another. Routine use of peritoneal fluid as a culture medium during in-vitro fertilization should not be encouraged. Peritoneal fluid toxicity may explain some cases of 'unexplained' infertility.
Gene cabII-1 is a light regulated gene that encodes the precursor of a major chlorophyll-a/b-binding protein in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. It is a member of a small gene family composed of about 3-7 members. Nucleotide sequencing data and S1 mapping reveal that the cabII-1 gene is interrupted by three introns. Except for the transit peptide and the N-terminus, the cabII-1 gene product is similar to cabII proteins in higher plants. The cabII-1 gene in C. reinhardtii appears to be an intermediate between type-I and type-II cabII genes described in higher plants.