Absence of Arms in the Axoneme of Immobile Human Spermatozoa

TLDR: The presence of a rather unique axonemal defect in the spermatozoa of a sterile man may help to throw some light on problems and the history of such a patient and the ultrastructural findings in his spermutozoa will be described.

Abstract: The spermiograms of an infertile man were unique in showing normal parameters except for the presence of total immotility in 100 per cent of the spermatozoa. In 100 per Cent of the axonemes of such spermatozoa there was a consistent lack of arms on the doublets of the axoneme. The same feature was found in all stages of spermatid formation. Other less consistent abnormalities were the occasional appearance of extra coarse fibers and axonemal microtubules, and an abnormal relationship between the longitudinal columns of the fibrous sheath and the doublets of the axoneme. All other ultrastructural details compared well with normal spermatozoa. Detailed descriptions of the substructural organization of axonemes from a wide variety of sources have to some extent helped to clarify our understanding of ciliary and flagellar motility. However, at the present time significant information at the molecular level is needed before a functional model comparable to the one known for muscle contraction can be achieved. The presence of a rather unique axonemal defect in the spermatozoa of a sterile man may help to throw some light on these problems. In this report the history of such a patient and the ultrastructural findings in his spermatozoa will be described.