Morphometric characteristics of motile spermatozoa in subfertile men with an excess of non-sperm cells in the ejaculate.
A comparison has been made between the morphological dimensions of motile spermatozoa in subfertile men demonstrating a persistent excess of non-sperm cells in their semen and those found in spermatozoa from fertile controls. Scanning electron microscopy and image analysis were used to make a morphometric assessment of defined sperm parameters in the study and control subjects. Half of the study cohort had an excess (> 5 x 10(6)/ml) of seminal leukocytes and the remainder an excess of sperm precursors in the ejaculate. In subjects with a sperm precursor excess, the motile spermatozoa had several significantly larger head parameters than those from both the fertile controls and those men with a leukocyte excess. Mid-piece and tail measurements did not differ significantly between groups. These findings suggest that, where there are large numbers of immature germinal elements present in semen, there is aberrant morphological development of the motile, apparently mature, spermatozoa which may represent disordered spermatogenesis.
Department of Reproductive Medicine, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London, UK.
A J
AJ
Mundy
T A
TA
Ryder
D K
DK
Edmonds
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*