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Diagnostic Services at Astra |
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| Diagnostic Services - Antisperm Anitbody |
Antisperm antibodies occur when the body becomes sensitized to sperm, causing an immune system response that destroys the sperm. Normally, sperm is protected from the immune system by way of a barrier in the testes.
In men who have antisperm antibodies, this barrier has been broken, allowing the immune cells to have access to the sperm. Because sperm have a unique antigen surface, their presence is detected by the immune system and triggers a response.
Depending on where the antibodies are located, sperm can be affected in a variety of ways. When the antibodies are found on the tail, sperm tends to be immobilized or may clump together. Antibodies positioned on the head prevent the sperm from properly binding to the egg, thereby preventing fertilization from taking place.
In some instances, a woman’s cervical mucus can also develop antibodies to her partner’s sperm. It is believed that antisperm antibodies in the cervical mucus may account for as much as 40% of unexplained infertility in couples. |
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