[Changes in sperm mitochondria in patients with asthenozoospermia].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate functional and ultrastructural alterations of the spermatozoa midpieces in patients with asthenozoospermia and to find a correlation between the damage of the midpieces and loss of sperm motility.


METHODS
Routine, morphological assessment of the midpieces stained according to the Papanicolaou method, cytochemical study of the mitochondrial activity using reaction for the diaphorase/ NADH according to the Piasecka method and electron-microscopic investigation of the midpiece structures were performed.


RESULTS
The cytochemical reaction for diaphorase/NADH revealed disorders of the mitochondrial activity and subtle and drastic malformations in the spermatozoa midpieces. The unusually thickened midpieces contained the supernumerary mitochondria. In patients with severe asthenozoospermia, the damage of the accessory fibres and axonemal complex located in the midpiece, were obtained also.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that mitochondrial defects are one of the causes that may account for loss of sperm motility in the population of patients.
Piasecka
M
M
Katedry i Zakładu Histologii i Embriologii PAM.
Wenda-Rózewicka
L
L
Kozanecka
A
A
Rózewicki
S
S
Laszczyńska
M
M
Marchlewicz
M
M
D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008933:Mitochondrial Swelling / Q000502:physiology*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*