Do non-spermatozoal cells mainly stem from spermiogenesis? Study of 106 fertile and 102 subfertile men.
The various non-spermatozoal cell types in the semen of 106 fertile (F) and 102 subfertile (SF) men were described and their relative proportions estimated. About 94% (F) and 90% (SF) were found to be germinal elements, among which, respectively, about 27% and 51% were spermatids, 48% and 36% residual bodies, 19.4% and 2.6% primary spermatocytes, 0.03% and 0.61% spermatogonia. The epithelial cells and blood cells represented about 6% (F) and 10% (SF) of the non-spermatozoal cells; in F men 5.3% and in SF men 9.5% were found to be polymorphonuclear leucocytes. In SF men the predominance of spermatids might be due to a particular fragility of spermiogenesis. To the three stages of spermatogenesis-the gonial multiplication, meiosis, and spermiogenesis-might correspond three specific pathologies. A pathology of the very germ cell production was thus suggested, as well as a pathology of the means by which the final product would be controlled. The Sertoli cell was supposed to be mainly involved in the latter process.
D002452:Cell Count; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000166:cytology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000166:cytology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology