Post Date April, 15 2023
Nonliquefaction of semen accounts for about 1.2%~11.8% of male infertility. Some scholars found that 14.8% of the patients' semen liquefaction was poor in the survey of 1000 infertile male semen routine. Non-liquefied semen affects sperm vitality and viability, reduces the ability of sperm to penetrate cervical mucus, and leads to infertility.
Normal male ejaculated semen is gelatinous and changes from sticky to liquefied after 5~20 minutes. After ejaculation, if the semen fails to completely liquefy at room temperature (25 ℃) for 60 minutes, it is called non-liquefaction or delayed liquefaction of semen.
The coagulation and liquefaction process of semen is completed by the secretion of prostate and seminal vesicle. The coagulation of semen is caused by coagulation factors produced by seminal vesicle, and the liquefaction of semen is caused by liquefaction factors such as proteolytic enzymes produced by prostate. When the balance between liquefaction and coagulation factors is broken, semen can show abnormal liquefaction.
One of the common causes of semen non-liquefaction is prostatitis. The patients' inflammatory cell infiltration in prostate tissue, fibrous tissue hyperplasia, edema and obstruction of glandular tubules, decreased prostate secretion activity, and changes in the quality and quantity of prostate fluid secretion cause changes in the enzymology and seminal plasma components, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA), acid phosphatase (ACP), urokinase (uPA), citric acid Decrease of trace elements such as zinc and change of PH value. The above components have the activity of semen liquefaction factor and directly participate in the liquefaction process of semen. As a result, the coordination relationship between semen coagulation and liquefaction was broken and liquefaction abnormality occurred.
The treatment of abnormal semen liquefaction aims at improving the secretion function of the prostate. The main means are to improve the secretion function of prostate, supplement trace elements, regulate the PH value of semen and use antibiotics to control infection.
The content of zinc in prostate fluid and semen is significantly higher than that in other tissues and body fluids. The zinc content in normal semen is about 100 times higher than that in plasma. The zinc in seminal plasma is mainly secreted by the prostate. Low zinc can reduce the activity of seminal protease, thus reducing the liquefaction of seminal protease and causing abnormal semen liquefaction.
Zinc is an important anti-infective factor in the prostate. The synthesis of more than 100 enzymes in the human body requires zinc. The liquefaction of semen requires the normal content of zinc secreted by the prostate. The synthesis of sufficient protease liquefaction factors can achieve the normal liquefaction of semen. In chronic prostatitis, the content of zinc in the prostate tissue is significantly reduced, and the liquefaction factors secreted and synthesized by the prostate are also significantly reduced, leading to non-liquefaction of semen and decreased sperm vitality, thus causing male infertility. Therefore, patients with non-liquefaction of semen can also be treated with zinc supplement.
