Semen Analysis Flashcards
What are the four fractions semen is composed of contributed by the testes?
- Epidiymis
- Seminal vesicles
- prostate,
- bulbourethral glands.
The testes contain the semniferous tubles which are responsible for?
Spermatogenesis
The epididymis is responsible for?
Sperm maturation
sperm develop flagella
What does the Ductas (vas) Deferens do?
Propel sperm to ejaculatory ducts
What happens at the ejaculatory ducts?
Recieve sperm from ductus deferens and fluid from seminal vesicles.
What do the seminal vesicles do?
Provide nutrients for sperm and fluid
What is the prostate gland’s job?
Provide enzymes and proteins for coagulation and liquefaction.
What do the bulbourethral glands do?
Add alkaline mucus to neutralize prostate and vaginal acidity.
What perentage of seminal fluid is from the seminal vesicles?
60 - 70% (majority of fluid)
What percentage of seminal fluid is acidic?
20 - 30% from the prostate gland
What gland contributes 5% of the seminal fluid volume in the form of a thick alkaline mucous?
Bulbourethral glands
For colletion of semen sample, how long should a patient abstain from sex?
2 - 3 days, no longer than 5 days
How does prolonged sexual abstinence affect sperm?
Higher volumes with decreased motitlity.
How often are samples tested when doing fertility testing?
What is considered significant?
- 2 week intervals
- 2 abnormal samples is considered significant
A semin sample for fertility testing is kept at what temperature?
Room temp
A clotted specimen takes how long to liquefy?
30 - 60 minutes
Normal semen appearance?
greyish, translucent, musty odor
Increased white turbidity in semem is due to?
WBCs and infection
red coloration in semen is associated with?
RBCs and is abnormal
What causes yellow coloration in semen?
Urine contamination, medications and prolonged abstinence
T/F: Urine is toxic to sperm and affects evaulation of motility?
T
If after 2 hours a specimen has not liquefied, what is added to allow rest of analysis to be done?
Proteolytic enzymes ( such as alpha-chymotrypsin)
Failure of semen to liquefy may be caused by?
Defiecieny in prostatic enzymes
Normal semen volume range?
When is increased volume seen?
Decreased volume is associated with?
What must also be considered for the above?
- 2 - 5 mL
- extended abstinence
- infertility and improper function of semen producing organs, primarily the seminal vasicles
- incomplete specimen collection
Incompletely liquified specimens can be decribed as clumped and a consistency that is?
Droplets that are with threads_____?
- Highly viscous
- threads >2 cm are highly viscous
What is the normal pH of semen?
Increased pH is indicative of?
Decreased pH is associated with?
- Alkaline range 7.2 - 8.0
- infection
- increased prostatic fluid
Sperm concentrations greater than what are considered normal?
> 20 million per mL
What dilution is used for sperm count in a Neubauer chamber?
Why is dilution essential?
What stain helps visualization?
- 1:20
- immobilzes sperm
- crystal violet
What # of leukocytes is inducative of infection / inflammation during a sperm count?
> 1 million per mL
The prescence of more than 1 million spermatids per mL in a sperm count is indicative of?
Disruption of spermatogenesis
What is critical for sperm motility?
forward progressive movement
Assessment of sperm motility should be performoed when on what sample?
well mixed, liquified w/i 1 hour
Motility evaluates?
Speed and direction
What is considered normal motility?
minimum 50% motility with a rating of 2 after 1 hour
Sperm morphology evauates what structures?
- Head
- neck piece
- midpiece
- tail
Abnormalities of head morphology are associated with?
Poor ovum penentration
Neckpiece, midpiece and tail abnormalities affect?
Motility
Normal sperm morphology? (2)
- oval head 5 um long and 3 um wide
- long tail 45 um long
- What is the acrosomal cap?
enezyme containing piece covering half the tip of head and 2/3 of the sperm nucleus.
The neckpiece attaches?
midpiece to tail
What part of the sperm tail is thickest and why and what does it do?
midpiece becuase it is surrounded by a mitochondrial sheath, which produces energy for motility.
Sperm morphology is evaulated under?
oil immersion
Sperm cell staining can be performed using?
How long are air dried slides stable
- Wright’s
- Geisma
- Papancolaou stain
- 24 hrs
How many sperm are evauated for sperm morphology?
200 and percentage abnormal reported
Routine abnormalities in head structure?
- double heads
- giant / amorphous heads
- pin heads
- tapered heads
- constructed heads
Sperm tail abnormalities?
- Double tail
- coiled tail
- bent tail
Normal values depend on criteria used, what are the values?
- 30% w/ routine criteria
- 14% w/ strict criteria
Additional parameters included in sperm morphology are called?
Kruger’s strict criteria
Sperm viability is tested with?
How many cells are counted
What color are dead and alive cells?
Normal viability requires
- eosin-nigrosin stain
- # dead cells in 100 sperm
Living = blue
Dead = red
75% living cells
Seminal fructose is tested by wnag what color is produced when it is present?
what is normal fructose?
Why are fructose specimens tested wi/ 2 hours?
- Resorcinol test
- orange
- >30 umol
- Prevent fructolysis
What are two frequent tests for antibody coated sperm?
- mixed agglutination reation (MAR)
- immunobead test
What does MAR detect?
What is considered normal?
- IgG
- <10% motile sperm attached to particicles
Which test is more specific that can detect IgG and IgA and demonstates what are of the sperm the antibodies are affecting?
What is considered normal?
- Immunobead test
- bead presence <20% on sperm
deacreased neutral a-glucosidase suggests?
disorder of the epididymis
Post vasectomy specimens are rountine tested at what intervals starting when?
What examination is used?
- 2 months post op until 2 consecutive specimens show no sperm.
Wet prep
Sperm Function - most common specialised tests? (4)
- hamster egg penetration assay
- cervicle mucus penetration
- hypoosmotic swelling test
- in vitro acrosome reaction
