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Head Defects (head + defect)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Morphological sperm defects analyzed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and their correlation with sperm motility

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Vincenzo Visco
Objectives: To compare sperm defects as assessed by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and to correlate them with sperm motility. Methods: A cohort of 40 male partners of infertile couples was selected. Group 1 (n = 31) included subjects with motility >5 and <50%, group 2 (n = 9) included those with motility <5% and the control group consisted of 10 normospermic subjects. Semen analysis of morphological parameters was carried out by LM and TEM. Results: A linear correlation between LM and TEM regarding head defects and excess residual cytoplasm (r = 0.87 and 0.90) was found, whereas there was a poor correlation between tail and midpiece anomalies (r = 0.46 and 0.21). No significant variations were detected by LM and TEM regarding sperm head defects and excess residual cytoplasm, whereas TEM showed a significantly greater percentage of tail and midpiece alterations compared with LM in groups 1 and 2, as well as controls (P < 0.05). The microtubular pattern ,<9 + 2' represented the most frequent axonemal morphological alteration. Conclusions: TEM might represent an additional diagnostic tool in the presence of severe sperm hypomotility or absence of motility. [source]

Human sperm DNA integrity in normal and abnormal semen samples and its correlation with sperm characteristics

ANDROLOGIA, Issue 4 2009
A. C. Varghese
Summary Reports indicate an increase in the incidence of DNA fragmentation in male factor infertility and its role in the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, reports are conflicting between the relationships of sperm DNA integrity with conventional semen parameters. We examined the relationship between conventional sperm parameters and DNA integrity using acridine orange (AO) test. The study included 373 patients and 28 fertile volunteers. DNA normality was compared with semen parameters between the patient and donor populations. Significant correlations were noted between DNA normality and sperm concentration (r = 0.18, P = 0.000), motility (r = 0.21, P = 0.0001), rapid motility (0.19, P = 0.000), normal morphology by World Health Organization (r = 0.15, P = 0.019) and head defects (r = ,0.15, P = 0.023). A significant difference was noted in AO levels between donors and patients with asthenozoospermia (P = 0.002) and oligoasthenozoospermia (P = 0.001). A significant difference in DNA integrity was noted in samples having <30% and >30% normal morphology. A wide range of % DNA normality was observed in the patient group. Sperm assessment for DNA status using AO is reliable and shows good correlation with sperm count, motility and morphology. Assessment of sperm DNA status with AO staining may be helpful prior to ART. [source]

Sperm morphology and aneuploidies: defects of supposed genetic origin

ANDROLOGIA, Issue 6 2006
G. Collodel
Summary As individuals with genetic sperm defects are intracytoplasmic sperm injection candidates, the study of the chromosomal constitution of their spermatozoa is of great interest. This study is a review of the current literature concerning fluorescence in situ hybridisation studies in spermatozoa with genetic sperm defect as ,round head', ,dysplasia of fibrous sheath' (DFS), ,primary ciliary dyskinesia' (PCD), the ,detached tail' and the ,absence of fibrous sheath'. Regarding sperm head defects, elevated XY disomy and diplodies were detected. Genetic defects affecting the sperm tail seemed to have a different correlation with chromosome meiotic segregation. Only chromosome 18, among the autosomes, was studied and the percentage of frequency of disomy was generally within the normal range. In the more frequently studied defect, DFS, the alterations in gonosome disomy and diploidy were recorded by different groups. Regarding PCD defects, elevated frequencies of disomy of sex chromosomes and diploidy were observed, whereas the absence of the fibrous sheath and the detached tail did not show any meiotic disturbance. The problem of genetic sperm defects should be seriously considered when these sperm are used for assisted reproduction, owing to the high risk of transmission of chromosomal imbalance and of mutations that could cause genetic sperm defects in offspring. [source]