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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 68/1/180    most recent biolreprod.102.005140v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Díez-Sánchez, C. Articles by López-Pérez, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Díez-Sánchez, C. Articles by López-Pérez, M. J. Agricola Articles by Díez-Sánchez, C. Articles by López-Pérez, M. J.

Mitochondrial DNA Content of Human Spermatozoa¹

^a Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain

Sperm mitochondria play an important role in spermatozoa because of the high ATP demand of these cells. Different mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and haplogroups influence sperm function. The mtDNA dose also contributes to genetic variability and pathology in different tissues and organs, but nothing is known about its relevance in the performance of spermatozoa. We estimated the variability in mtDNA content within a population of men. Different mtDNA:nuclear DNA ratios were characteristic of progressive and nonprogressive spermatozoa, confirming the influence of mtDNA content on sperm functionality. We also estimated that the absolute content of mtDNA was 700 and 1200 mtDNA copies per cell in progressive and nonprogressive human spermatozoa, respectively. These results suggest that a marked increase of mtDNA copy number per cell volume takes place during spermatogenesis.

¹ This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (98/1033 and 01/0192).

² Correspondence: Manuel José López-Pérez, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain. FAX: 34 976 761612; lopezper{at}posta.unizar.es

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