Flow Cytometry to Evaluate Acrosome-Reacted Sperm

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Abstract
Flow cytometry was used in the scoring of acrosome-reacted human sperm. Propidium iodide was used for detection of the nonviability of the sperm. Fluoresceinated pea lectin was used to detect acrosome-reacted sperm. The results obtained by flow cytometry and those obtained by fluorescence microscopy were compared to determine if flow cytometry can serve as a more accurate, faster, and simpler method. It was possible to detect human sperm by flow cytometry. The percentage of propidium iodide labeled sperm determined by flow cytometry was close to that obtained by fluorescence microscopy. Comparison of the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm determined by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy showed that these methods gave very similar results (r = 0.98, p < 0.001). Objective scoring of more sperm was possible by flow cytometry than by fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry was useful as a simple method for evaluation of acrosome-reacted human sperm.