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  • Apoptose, Spermatogenèse, Spermatozoïdes
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Apoptose dans le sperme éjaculé: Revue

Apoptosis in ejaculated spermatozoa

Andrologie volume 13, pages 217–227 (2003)Cite this article

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La mort cellulaire programmée consiste en l’élimination active et régulée de cellules parfaitement identifiées, débutant pendant l’embryogenèse et se poursuivant durant la vie adulte. L’apoptose est une forme particulière de mort cellulaire programmée qui comporte des caractéristiques morphologiques et biochimiques spécifiques. L’un des rôles majeurs de l’apoptose dans les cellules somatiques est d’assurer l’élimination des cellules dangereuses, (cellules anormales, lésées et non réparables ou devenues inutiles), et de maintenir l’homéostasie au sein des tissus et organes.

La présence d’apoptose dans les spermatozoïdes éjaculés reste extrêmement controversée. La microscopie électronique a permis d’observer des spermatozoïdes présentant les caractéristiques de cellules somatiques apoptotiques dans l’éjaculat de sujets fertiles et infertiles. Cependant, il s’agit d’une technique lourde, permettant l’analyse d’un nombre limité de spermatozoïdes. De nombreux travaux soulignent l’impact de la fragmentation de l’ADN des spermatozoïdes éjaculés en AMP, sans que cette fragmentation soit reliée de façon certaine au processus apoptotique. De nouvelles techniques explorant d’autres étapes de l’apoptose, développées sur cellules somatiques, pourraient se révéler d’un intérêt majeur. Les origines et fonctions possibles de cette apoptose dans un sperme normal et en cas de pathologie seront discutées.

Abstract

It has become clear in recent years that programmed cell death occurs spontaneously in the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. Although apoptosis is a key phenomenon in the control of sperm production, the existence and role of apoptosis in ejaculated sperm cells remain controversial.

Apoptosis — as determined by DNA fragmentation and ultrastructural analysis — is abnormally frequent in the sperm cells of the ejaculate of sterile men. In this review, we discuss the possible origins of DNA damage in ejaculated human spermatozoa and the consequences of this DNA damage when apoptotic spermatozoa are used for ICSI.

Percentages of DNA fragmentation in human ejaculated sperm are correlated with fertilization rates after IVF or ICSI assay. Detection of DNA fragmentation in human sperm could provide additional information about the biochemical integrity of sperm and may be used in future studies for fertilization failures not explained by conventional sperm parameters. However, the analysis of new markers of apoptosis (Fas, ANNEXINE V) and molecular mechanisms is now necessary to assess the role of apoptosis in human ejaculated sperm cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Hôpital Nord, 42055, Saint Etienne

    Guillaume Martin, Jean Louis Laurent & Rachel Levy

  2. Centre commun de Cytométrie, Université de Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne

    Odile Sabido

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  1. Guillaume Martin
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  2. Odile Sabido
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Correspondence to Rachel Levy.

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Martin, G., Sabido, O., Laurent, J.L. et al. Apoptose dans le sperme éjaculé: Revue. Androl. 13, 217–227 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034875

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Basic and Clinical Andrology

ISSN: 2051-4190