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Fluorescence In situ hybridization to Y chromosomes in decondensed human sperm nuclei
Author(s) -
Wyrobek Andrew J.,
Alhborn Thomas,
Balhorn Rod,
Stanker Larry,
Pinkel Daniel
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.1080270304
Subject(s) - sperm , biology , fluorescence in situ hybridization , microbiology and biotechnology , cell nucleus , semen , chromosome , nucleus , dna , hybridization probe , genetics , gene
Human sperm nuclei were isolated with mixed alkyltrimethylammonium bromide and dithiothreitol (MATAB/DTT) and decondensed by treatments with lithium diiodosalicylate (LIS), sodium chloride, or Tris salts. Concentrations as low as 1 mM LIS induced measurable nuclear swelling compared to 600 mM required for the other two salts. As measured by image analyses, the projected nuclear area increased linearly up to approximately fivefold with LIS concentrations up to 10 mM. Swollen nuclei also maintained the elliptical shapes characteristic of the human sperm head. Expanded sperm nuclei of three men were hybridized with a fluorescently labeled 3.4 kb Y chromosome‐specific repetitive DNA probe; 50.1% of the nuclei of each semen sample showed fluorescent labeling over a part of the nucleus indicating presence of the Y chromosome. In comparison, unswollen sperm did not yield reliable hybridization signals. This procedure is suitable for determining the proportion of human sperm with Y chromosomes and can be used to evaluate sperm separation techniques. The availability of probes specific for most human chromosomes suggests that this procedure may find general application in studies of sperm chromosomal constitution.