Therapy options

In the genital tract, low levels of ROS are necessary for normal function of human spermatozoa, including their 

• capacitation (is the step in the maturation of mammalian spermatozoa and is required to render them competent to fertilize an oocyte),
• acrosome reaction (the reaction that occurs in the acrosome of the sperm as it approaches the egg, a sperm must first fuse with the plasma membrane and then penetrate the female egg in order to fertilize it) and
• sperm-oocyte fusion (a process in which two cells combine in one). 

On the other hand, excessive OS may cause lipoperoxidation of sperm (the oxidative degradation of lipids) membranes resulting in DNA damage and sperm apoptosis(a process of programmed cell death). After gaining entry into the sperm, ROS target genetic materials, destroying mitochondrial DNA and inhibiting intracellular ATP (a nucleoside triphosphate) production. Without proper ATP production, both functionality and sperm motility is affected and fertilization of an egg is not possible.