The presence of germ cells in the semen of azoospermic, cryptozoospermic and severe oligozoospermic patients: stringent flow cytometric analysis and correlations with hormonal status

Yeung, Ching‐Hei; Beiglböck‐Karau, L.; Tüttelmann, Frank; Nieschlag, Eberhard

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2007.02961.x

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Therefore, we cannot ignore the abundance of leukocytes, because only singular leukocytes occur in normal sterile ejaculate. Thus, similar to other azoospermic cases, it can be proposed that the observed high number of immature germ cells in the ejaculate from our patient may be a consequence of rather than a cause of azoospermia [42]. It is also known that the disruptive effects of environmental toxicants on cell junctions are mediated by non-receptor tyrosine kinases (e.g., c-Src and FAK) and cytokines provoking oxidative stress because such damage is often observed after low-level exposure before apoptosis occurs [46-48].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses of de novo translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) in an infertile male

et al. 2014

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BackgroundWhole arm t(9;13)(p11;p12) translocations are rare and have been described only a few times; all of the previously reported cases were familial.ResultsWe present here an infertile male carrier with a whole-arm reciprocal translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) revealed by GTG-, C-, and NOR-banding karyotypes with no mature sperm cells in his ejaculate. FISH and genome-wide 400 K CGH microarray (Agilent) analyses demonstrated a balanced chromosome complement and further characterised the abnormality as a dicentric chromosome (9;13): dic(9;13)(pter→p11.2::p12→qter),neo(9)(pter→p12→neo→p11.2). An analysis of the patient’s ejaculated cells identified immature germ cells at different phases of spermatogenesis but no mature spermatozoa. Most (82.5%) of the germ cells were recognised as spermatocytes at stage I, and the cell nuclei were most frequently found in pachytene I (41.8%). We have also undertaken FISH analysis and documented an increased rate of aneuploidy of chromosomes 15, 18, X and Y in the peripheral blood leukocytes of our patient. To study the aneuploidy risk in leukocytes, we have additionally included 9 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia with normal karyotypes.ConclusionsWe propose that the azoospermia observed in the patient with the dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) translocation was most likely a consequence of a very high proportion (90%) of association between XY bivalents and quadrivalent formations in prophase I.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses of de novo translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) in an infertile male

et al. 2014

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“…As no distinction between somatic and diploid germ cells was attempted, this work concentrates on the study of HC, 1N and 4N germ cells. As reported by Yeung et al. (2007), in an average ejaculate of very low‐sperm counts 90% of particles having the same DNA staining intensity as spermatozoa were not real HC cells and were eliminated by the analysis of their laser light scatter pattern and their mitochondria staining intensity characteristic of spermatozoa.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…, 2005). Recently, a multi‐parametric technique and stringent analytical procedure has been developed (Yeung et al. , 2007) aimed at improving the correct identification of spermatozoa within the HC population, and eliminating aggregated cells causing contamination of the cell populations of higher ploidy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of seminal germ cells in azoospermia: correlations with testicular histology and TESE outcome

et al. 2009

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In the treatment of male infertility by intra-cytoplasmic injection of spermatozoa (ICSI) extracted from testicular tissue (TESE), the high incidence of negative TESE outcome calls for non-invasive prognostic methods. Literature suggests that seminal haploid germ cell detection could be one. For this purpose, a multi-parametric stringent flow cytometric method was applied to 50 TESE patients for the quantification of ejaculated germ cells. Cells from 50 ejaculates were identified and quantified as spermatozoa (HC, highly condensed), round spermatids (1N), primary spermatocytes (SPC) (4N) or diploid cells (2N, including somatic and non-testicular cells) by their DNA and mitochondria staining and laser scatter characteristics, and compared with testicular biopsy histology and TESE outcome. Whereas 96% of patients displayed a diploid peak in the distribution histograms, the HC, 1N and 4N peaks were absent from the majority of samples. In 13 ejaculates, either a HC or 1N or 4N peak, or a combination of these, was discernible. Although seminal germ cell numbers bore no overall association with elongated spermatids (ES) in histology or spermatozoa retrieval in TESE outcome, 4N cells per ejaculate were correlated with the percentage of tubule sections showing SPC as the most advanced germ cells. The incidence of HC peaks was higher in patients showing some ES in histology or sperm retrieval than in the sperm-negative groups. In groups with suspected obstruction showing nearly full spermatogenesis and maximal sperm retrieval, there was no incidence of a HC peak. Germ cell peaks were associated with germ cell degeneration noted in testicular histology. In conclusion, seminal germ cells cannot provide good prognosis for TESE, although their presence could indicate the spermatogenic activity in the testis.

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“…The presence of immature germ cells in semen at different stages of spermatogenesis, has been previously documented [Bassol et al 1990;Huang and Agarwal 2004;Yeung et al 2007]. The presence of different stages of spermatogenic cells in the testis can be confirmed by the detection of certain mRNAs, exclusively expressed at a relevant maturation level [Matzuk and Lamb 2008].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Seminal molecular markers as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the evaluation of spermatogenesis in non-obstructive azoospermia

Aslani

Modarresi

Soltanghoraee

et al. 2011

Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine

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The presence of germ cells in the semen of azoospermic, cryptozoospermic and severe oligozoospermic patients: stringent flow cytometric analysis and correlations with hormonal status

Abstract: Whereas incidence of HC cells in azoospermic ejaculates may suggest minimal spermatogenic activity which evades detection by routine semen analysis, the presence of 1N and 4N cells in semen of patients provides noninvasive information about their spermatogenic status.

Cited by 17 publications

References 22 publications

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses of de novo translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) in an infertile male

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses of de novo translocation dic(9;13)(p11.2;p12) in an infertile male

Quantification of seminal germ cells in azoospermia: correlations with testicular histology and TESE outcome

Seminal molecular markers as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the evaluation of spermatogenesis in non-obstructive azoospermia

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