Chromosome analysis of human sperm. I. First results with a modified method.
A modified technique has been developed for the visualization of the chromosomes in human sperm. The cytogenetic analysis of 129 G-banded human sperm metaphases of 6 normal donors showed an incidence of structural and numerical chromosome abnormalities of 7.8%. Two out of 129 spermatozoa were aneuploid (1.6%). The frequency of sperms with chromatid-type aberrations was 2.3% (3/129). Chromosome-type aberrations were found in 5 out of 129 (3.9%) spermatozoa. X to Y ratio did not differ significantly from the expected one-to-one ratio. Twenty-six sperm complements from a patient 18-20 months after testes exposure to 30 Gy were examined. A significant increase of numerical and structural chromosome abnormalities was not observed. Chromatid-type aberrations were found in two sperm complements (7.7%) and chromosome-type aberrations in one sperm complement (3.9%). The cytogenetic analysis of 15 human sperms from a cancer patient 26 months after chemotherapy showed an increased frequency of aberrant sperm complements (33.4%). One chromatid-type (6.7%), three chromosome-type aberrations (20.0%) and one (6.7%) hyperploid sperm complement could be observed. The sample size is still too small to answer the question whether chemical mutagens may increase the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm.
D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*