R. Eliasson

The immotile-cilia syndrome. A congenital ciliary abnormality as an etiologic factor in chronic airway infections and male sterility.

We investigated six men and a woman suspected of suffering from congenital immotility of cilia. All had chronic airway infections, and the men had immotile spermatozoa. The woman and three men had Kartageners syndrome. The investigations included measurements of the mucociliary transport in the lower airways and ultrastructural studies of the sperm tails or respiratory cilia (or both). Mucociliary transport was significantly delayed. Sperm tails lacked dynein arms in five patients. Respiratory cilia from the women and two men lacked dynein arms and were irregularly oriented. The results support the hypothesis that a congenital defect in the cilia and sperm tails will cause chronic respiratory-tract infections and male sterility--the immotile-cilia syndrome. In about half these patients there will also be a situs inversus--i.e., Kartageners syndrome.

Standards for investigation of human semen Untersuchungsstandards für das menschliche Sperma La standardisation de l'analyse du sperme humain

A proposal for standardization of the analyses of human semen is presented with special emphasis on the necessity to perform accurate evaluation of sperm morphology, to determine the percentage of dead cells, and to carry out biochemical analyses of the seminal plasma to evaluate the secretory function of the accessory genital glands.

Flagellar mutants in man: On the heterogeneity of the immotile-cilia syndrome

In a search for flagellar mutants in man we have examined sperm tails from men who have spermatozoa that are immotile but living. In this paper we describe 14 such cases, which belong to five distinct groups. These are: sperm axonemes lacking both dynein arms, sperm axonemes lacking the inner dynein arms, sperm axonemes lacking the outer dynein arms, sperm axonemes probably lacking the spoke heads, and sperm axonemes lacking one or both central microtubules and lacking the central sheath. Other types of flagellar defects are likely to occur, but have not been seen in this study. Men having spermatozoa of the first four of these categories have the immotile-cilia syndrome characterized by respiratory tract disease since early childhood. The three men from our fifth category did not suffer from the immotile-cilia syndrome. Their spermatozoa were characterized by the middle piece being very short and the fibrous sheath being unusually thick.

Biochemical Analyses of Human Semen in the Study of the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Male Accessory Genital Glands

Biochemical analyses of human seminal plasma can provide valuable information regarding the secretory pattern and secretory capacity of accessory genital glands androgen activity and the functional status of the genital glands and any disorders of the genital tract. The PG (prostaglandin) activity in ejaculation is discussed and diagrammed. PGs are a group of fatty acids which seem to be responsible for the strong pharmacodynamic activity of human semen. Various factors regarding PGs indicate their importance to human fertility.

Zinc in human seminal plasma

Zinc has been determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 1.460 specimens of human seminal plasma from 809 men. The mean concentrations was 133 μg/ml (range 1—621) and the relative frequency distribution showed a marked positive skewness. There was no difference in the frequency distribution among samples from different age groups (18—70 years).

Effects of Occupational Exposure to Lead on Sperm and Semen

Semen qualities were studied in samples from workers exposed to lead in a factory for storage batteries. The study included two groups with different degrees of exposure. The mean lead-blood concentration (Pb-B) values for the men in the two groups during the six months preceding the study were 45 µg/100 ml and 22 µg/100 ml, respectively. Each man delivered at least one semen sample during a test period and most of the men participated in both test periods, which took place within a six-month interval. The size of each of the four groups, was 16 or more men. The semen qualities assessed included sperm count, sperm motility (qualitative and quantitative), sperm morphology, sperm chromatin stability when exposed to sodium dodecyl sulphate, and release of LDH-X into the seminal plasma. The secretory function of the prostate was assessed by analyses of such markers as acid phosphatase, zinc, and magnesium. Fructose was used as the marker for the secretory function of the seminal vesicles. All semen samples had values within the expected limits for that population. A subtle but significant difference was found between the two groups for sperm chromatin stability, indicating that the exposure to lead had decreased the stability of the spermatozoa. Moreover, a decreased secretory function of the accessory genital glands was noted more frequently among the men with the higher degree of exposure than among those in the other group. For all other semen variables, there were no differences between the groups.

Effect of zinc on human sperm respiration.

Oxygen consumption of washed spermatozoa was measured. The addition of sodium succinate to whole semen did not significantly increase the oxygen consumption of the sperm while the respiratory activity of washed spermatozoa was increased 2 to 3 times by the succinate. The addition of zinc to the washed spermatozoa counteracted the effects of succinate. High concentrations of zinc are normally found in the seminal plasma.

Prostaglandin: properties actions and significance.

Abstract Prostaglandin is the name given to the lipid-soluble smooth muscle stimulating and blood pressure lowering factor with acidic properties in seminal fluid and in extracts of some accessory genital glands of man and sheep. A number of crystalline active compounds have recently been isolated from total prostaglandin extracts. The biological activity of the most potent of these is weight for weight of the same order as that of acetylcholine and oxytocin. The normal response of the isolated non-pregnant human myometrium to prostaglandin is relaxation, and the sensitivity is highest at the time of ovulation. It is propounded that prostaglandin is of importance for human fertility.

Occurrence and Origin of Proteins in Human Seminal Plasma with Special Reference to Albumin

Vorkommen und Herkunft der Proteine im menschlichen Spermaplasma unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Albumin

Concentrations of Cortisol and renin in the internal spermatic vein of men with varicocele1

Varicocele as a possible cause of male infertility has attracted much attention during the last twenty years (for ref., see MACLEOD 1971), but a causal relationship is not clearly documented (UEHLING, 1968). However, since the basic question has not been answered various theoreies have been forwarded to explain how a varicocele could effect the tesdcular and/or epididymal funcuon. One of these theories is that blood is regurgitating into the left internal spermatic vein and brings with it hormones and/or metabolites of renal and/or adrenal origin, which could have a negative effect on the spermatogenesis or the epididymal function.