Scoring sperm morphology from fertile and infertile cigarette smokers using the scanning electron microscope and image analysis.
Image analysis was applied to photographs of sperm samples obtained using a scanning electron microscope. This technique is too time-consuming for routine use but could, if automated, provide an objective assessment of sperm morphology. In order to test the technique, sperm samples were evaluated from four groups of men: fertile and infertile smokers and fertile and infertile nonsmokers. There was a significant increase in the numbers of abnormalities in samples from infertile men. There was no association between the numbers of abnormal sperm and cigarette smoking.
D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking; D013076:Sperm Count; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013082:Sperm Tail / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*