The influence of sex chromosomes on the outcome of human embryo development

• Main Author: Raja, Kimenthra
• Other Authors: Franken, Daniel R.
• Language: en
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2008
• Subjects: Human reproduction; Conception; Human embryo; Sex chromosomes; Dissertations > Medicine; Theses > Medicine; Dissertations > Obstetrics and gynaecology; Theses > Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2378

Thesis (MScMedSc (Obstetrics and Gynaecology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. === CHAPTER 1 presents comprehensive background information regarding all aspects addressed in this thesis. Special attention was given to literature on paternal influences on embryonic development, the role of sperm RNA, sperm chromatin and sperm functional aspects i.e. morphology and acrosomal status and size. The experimental design and all relevant methods used during the study as well as the material that were used are presented in CHAPTER 2. The results of the different techniques and evaluations are provided in CHAPTER 3. It was found that 70% of the embryos that showed no developmental potential were Y-chromosome bearing embryos. The sperm selection process for ICSI based on the approach of choosing the “best looking“ spermatozoon in the ejaculate seem to provide cells that can be classified as normal based on the length width ratio set by the WHO for normal cells. The chromatin packaging quality of the sperm correlated significantly and negatively with the percentage normal cells in the ejaculates. CHAPTER 4 comprises of a general discussion of the results and short summary of the major findings during the project. The discussion section focused on the paternal influence on the embryonic development and provided a suggestion for future research that can possibly lead to the use of X-chromosome bearing sperm in case of severe male factor cases. CHAPTER 5 contains the bibliographical information of the study.