The nuclear status of human sperm cells by TEM image cytometry: nuclear shape and chromatin texture in semen samples from fertile and infertile men.

Changes in nuclear size, shape, and chromatin texture during spermiogenesis and epididymal transport of human sperm were recently analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image cytometry followed by multivariate statistical analysis of data. In the present study, this same methodology was used to investigate the nuclear morphology of spermatozoa in semen samples from fertile and infertile men. Analysis was carried out on a large series of micrographs of sections of sperm nuclei from a donor group with proven fertility and from a patient group with a mean infertility duration of 10 years with no obvious male or female infertility factors (only a slight decrease in the proportion of sperm heads with normal morphology was noted in routine semen tests). For the patient group, it was found that nuclei had a significantly less flattened shape (i.e., increased roundness as a consequence of increased thickness and decreased length). Furthermore, significant differences between donor and patient groups were found for most parameters of chromatin texture. In the patient group, chromatin was less condensed, and there was more homogeneous distribution of the different degrees of chromatin condensation. In addition, the organization of chromatin condensation and distribution along the major axis of the nucleus was found to be significantly different in the two groups. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis indicated a good classification rate of only 66% for nuclei of patients when using the eight major nuclear parameters, thus indicating the striking heterogeneity of nuclear morphology for both patient and donor groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Histochemical and ultrastructural data on the adrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the epididymis in the mouse]. / Données histochimiques et ultrastructurales sur l'innervation adrénergique et cholinergique de l'épididyme chez la souris.

The adrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the epididymal duct in the mouse has been investigated using histochemical methods and electron microscopy. This study demonstrates that the epididymal innervation of the mouse does not really differ from that of other mammals. Cholinergic nerves are mainly vascular, even in the cauda where cholinesterase activity is increased within the tubular musculature. Catecholamine fibres ensure the motricity of the wall of the canalicular system, particularly the terminal segment where the smooth muscle fibres are specifically differentiated.

[Adrenergic innervation of the smooth muscle cells of the cauda epididymis of the mouse]. / Innervation adrénergique des cellules musculaires lisses de la queue de l'épididyme chez la souris.

The adrenergic innervation in the smooth muscle of the cauda epididymidis of the mouse was investigated by a fluorescence technique using glyoxylic acid and by electron microscopy. As in other species, this innervation is well developed in the terminal segment of the epididymis. It varies according to muscular type: the small myocytes of the proximal zone of the tail have a visceral contractile innervation, while for the typical muscle of the distal region, the pattern is a multiple-unit one. In the mouse, the nexus are more numerous than in man and in the monkey, and constitute a facilitating factor.

[Morphological and ultrastructural study of the neural pelvic plexus in the male white mouse]. / Etude morphologique et ultrastructurale du plexus nerveux pelvien chez la souris blanche mâle.

The hypogastric ganglion which innerves the vas deferens and accessory glands of rat genital tract does not exist in the mouse. The mouse genital tract is innervated by a pelvic plexus made of a network of nervous fibres in which there are nervous ganglia. In these latter, there is a subpopulation of S. I. F. cells characterized by clear synaptic vesicles and a low number of dense core vesicles.

[Dependence of carotid body structure on age in male rats (author's transl)]. / Structure du Corpuscule carotidien du rat mâle Wistar au cours du vieillissement.

The ultrastructure of the carotid corpuscle has been studied on males Wistar rats, from their birth to eighteen months. In the course of the ageing of the animal, th cytology of the constitutive elements is altered. The size of the main cells is maximal at eleven months. If the Golgi apparatus and the mitochondria do not seem very altered, the granular vesicles, the number of the ribosomes, especially these in contact with the membranes of the granular endoplasmic reticulum diminish. The vacuolisation, increased after the first month, the cells in course of degeneration, and the cellular phantoms observed from the fifth month, reveal the very slow and gradual involution of the corpuscle. The lysosomes appear infrequent as early as their birth and their slow growth in size more significant than the growth in number conjunctively with an important fibrose characterizes the senescent corpuscle. All the corpuscles seem affected in the same way, since the amplitude of alterations do not vary much from one animal to another. So in the corpuscles of every rat over one year, the clear cells prevail, not very altered by the ageing process.

[On the structure of the hypogastric ganglion in adult rats (author's transl)]. / Structure du ganglion hypogastrique chez le rat adulte.

Histological and ultrastructural examination of the hypogastric ganglion in rat indicated three kinds of cells: - The principal neurons, sympathetic cells remarkable by size, distribution, nematosomes and ergastosomes, absence of synaptic vesicles. After purchasing of vacuoles they occur vacuolated neurons. - The small neurons which are not sympathoblasts. - Few S.I.F. cells containing numerous dense core vesicles. The innervation is a double one, it is afferent cholinergic type or a type with catecholamines secretion.

[Behavior of the superior cervical ganglion after total isolation of its contralateral homologue]. / Comportament du ganglion cervical supérieur après deconnection totale de son homologue contro-latéral.

When the superior cervical ganglion of one side isolated from its neuronal and vascular connexions is held in situ, the contro-lateral one shows early modifications which are maximal at 15th day. Recuperation of the initial structure is definitively obtained during the 2nd month. Hypotheses are suggested to explain this phenomenon.