مشخصات پژوهش

Phospholipids are asymmetrically distributed between the inner and outer halves of the plasma membrane of living cells. During the early stages of apoptosis, the membrane asymmetry disappears, and phosphatidylserine is displaced from the inner surface to the outer surface of the plasma membrane. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lactitol as a cryoprotectant on sperm apoptosis in fertile men. In this study, semen samples were collected from 15 fertile men after 48 hours of abstinence by masturbation. After analysis, according to the criteria of the World Health Organization, the samples were divided into two groups. The first group included samples frozen with a freezing medium without the presence of lactitol (frozen control). The second group had samples frozen with a freezing medium supplemented with lactitol (frozen treatment). After evaluating the sperm parameters, including total and progressive motility, the process of apoptosis was assessed in both groups. After freezing-thawing, the percentage of total and progressive motility in the cryopreservation treatment group was significantly higher than in the frozen control. At the same time, the mean percentage of apoptotic sperm in both groups did not show a significant difference. Therefore, it can be concluded that the freezing-thawing process eliminates membrane asymmetry and causes apoptosis. In the presence of lactitol, no decrease in the apoptotic process was observed, but an increase in sperm motility was observed. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using lactitol as a cryoprotectant, and the process of cell apoptosis, which reduces the number of functional sperm available for assisted reproductive techniques (ART), should be considered.