PHYSIOLOGY

TESTES
TESTES
CONTAINS
SEMINEFEROUS
TUBULES WHERE GERM
CELLS ARE LOCATED.

SPECIALIZED SERTOLI
CELLS PROVIDE
SUPPORT AND
NUTRIENTS FOR THE
GERM CELLS AS THEY
GO MITOSIS OR MEIOSIS
(SPERMATOGENESIS)
EPIDIDYMIS
TESTIS
EPIDIDYMIS
WHERE SPERM
MATURES AND
DEVELOPS FLAGELLA.
THEY REMAIN
STORED IN HERE
UNTIL EJACULATION.
AT THAT TIME THEY
ARE PROPELED
THROUGH THE VAS
DEFERENS TO THE
EJACULATORY DUCT
EJACULATORY DUCTS
RECIEVE BOTH
SPERM FROM VAS
DEFERENS AND
FLUID FROM
SEMINAL VESICLE
Ejaculatory duct
SEMINAL
VESICLE
SEMINAL VESICLE
PRODUCES
MAJORITY OF
FLUID PRESENT
IN SEMEN.
PROSTATE GLAND
SECRETES A
MILKY FLUID
CONTAINING
ACID
PHOSPHATAS
E AND
PROTEOLYTIC
ENZYMES
PROSTATE
SPECIMEN COLLECTION
COMPLETE COLLECTION OF SPERM IS
ESSENTIAL FOR ACCURATE TESTING
BOTH FERTILITY AND POST
VASECTOMY.
SPECIMEN IS COLLECTED
FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF SEXUAL
ABSTINENCE OF FROM 2 TO 3 DAYS
TO NOT LONGER THAN 5 DAYS.
IF THE SPECIMEN IS COLLECTED
OUTSIDE THE LABORATORY IT
SHOULD BE KEPT IN A ROOM
TEMPERATURE AND SHOULD BE
DELIVERED INTO THE LABORATORY
WITHIN AN HOUR


SEMEN ANALYSIS
PARAMETERS:
APPEARANCE
VOLUME
VISCOSITY
pH
SPERM COUNT
MOTILITY
MORPHOLOGY
APPEARANCE
NORMAL SEMEN HAS
GREY WHITE COLOR
APPEARS TRANSLUCENT
CHARACTERISTIC MUSTY ODOR
LIQUEFACTION
A FRESH SEMEN SPECIMEN IS
CLOTTED AND SHOULD LIQUEFY
WITHIN 30-60MINS.

SEMEN ANALYSIS
PARAMETERS NORMAL VALUES
VOLUME 2-5mL
VISCOSITY POURS IN DROPLETS
Ph 7.3-8.3
Sperm count >40 million/mL
Motility >50% within 1 hr
Morphology <30% abnormal
SPERM COUNT
- Dilute the specimen 1: 20
- 2 frequently used methods:
1. counting the sperm in the 5 RBC squares
2. counting the sperm in 2 large WBC squares

When 5 RBC squares are used:
# of sperms counted X 1 million = sperm per mL

When 2 large WBC squares are used:
# of sperms counted 100, 000 = sperm per mL




MOTILITY
NORMAL MORPHOLOGY
MORPHOLOGY
ADDITIONAL TESTING
SPERM VIABILITY- DECREASED
SPERM VIABILITY MAY BE
SUSPECTED WHEN A SPECIMEN HAS
A NORMAL SPERM CONCENTRATION
WITH MARKEDLY DECREASED
MOTILITY.
SEMIAL FLUID FRUCTOSE- LOW
CONCENTRATION MAY BE CAUSED BY
LACK OF SUPPORT MEDIUM
PRODUCED IN THE SEMINAL
VESICLES.
ADDITIONAL TESTING
ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES
POSTVASECTOMY SEMEN ANALYSIS


Aspermia - The complete absence of
semen.
Asthenospermia - Low count of moving
(motile) sperm.
Azoospermia - The complete absence of
sperm in the ejaculate.
Necrospermia- a condition in which the
spermatozoa of the semen are either
motionless or dead.


DID YOU KNOW?
One tablespoon of semen has approximately 20
calories. Semen also contains zinc and calcium
which helps prevent tooth decay.
One typical ejaculation contains 150 mg of protein, 11
mg of carbohydrates, 6 mg fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 7%
potassium and 3% copper and zinc. The protein content
is roughly equivalent to that found in one egg white.
Also, women physically exposed to semen are less likely
to suffer from depression. The ingesting of it is called
'spermophagia'. Studies suggest that seminal plasma
both prevents and fights cancer, particularly breast
cancer.


References:
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/path
phys/reprod/semeneval/motility.html
http://www.malefertility.md/glossary.html
http://www.omg-
facts.com/view/Facts/1932#vf3A5KjJVGX
QvTdw.99
Strasinger, S.K., Di Lorenzo, M.S. (2008). Urinalysis
and Body Fluids edition 5
th
.F.A. Davis Company
Philadelpia, Pennsylvania
THE END