[The value of donor sperm in intra-cytoplasmic sperm injections? The French Centers for Semen Preservation policy]. / La paillette de sperme de donneur au secours de l'ICSI? l'avis des CECOS.

Some IVF laboratories ask for donor's semen during an ICS attempt if retrieval of husband's sperm is unsuccessful. The French Centers for Semen preservation (CECOS) consider that this request is not acceptable for legal, psychological and ethical considerations. Legal consent may not be ambiguous. The psychological lost of biological fatherhood should be totally assumed before undertaking conception with donor's semen. ICSI should be started only if it is most likely to succeed. For all these reasons, CECOS refuse to modify the strategy of procreatione during the course of an attempt.

Production, characterization, and immunocytochemical applications of monoclonal antibodies to human sperm protamines.

Three monoclonal antibodies against human protamines were obtained by immunization with total human basic nuclear proteins or purified protamine HP3. The specificity of antibodies was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot. They recognized three distinct epitopes: One was specific for the protamine P1 family, another was specific for the protamine P2 family and the third was common to both families. All were specific for the human species. Antibodies were used to detect protamines in germ cells by indirect immunofluorescence and by immunoelectron microscopy. Protamines appeared in spermtid nuclei at steps 4-5 of spermiogenesis, i.e., during the chromatin condensation process, and were not accumulated in the cytoplasm before entering the nucleus.

Quantitative ultrastructural analysis of the principal cells in the human epididymis.

A morphometric study of the principal epithelial cells of the epididymis has been carried out in six young adult men. Samples were taken in the head, body and tail of the epididymis and processed for ultrastructural study. The cytoplasm was subdivided into four zones. Their section areas were measured by planimetry and the volume density of cytoplasmic organelles assessed using the point-counting method. The general organization of the principal cells of the epididymis was identical along the duct. Quantitative analysis revealed that cells of the head contained significantly larger amounts of coated-vesicles and of Golgi saccules than the body and the tail. The functional implications of these results is important for the understanding of receptor-mediated endocytosis and protein synthesis in the different parts of the human epididymal duct.

Gonadotropin responses to low dose pulsatile administration of GnRH in a case of anosmia with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism associated with gonadal dysgenesis 47 XXY.

A 25 year old man presented hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with complete anosmia (Kallman's syndrome). His chromosomic type was 47 XXY (Klinefelter's syndrome). Clinical findings were: height 183 cm, weight 62 kg, increased length of lower limbs, P2-A2 pilosity and micropenis. Only a left testis was present (1.5-1.5 cm). Bone age was 15. Testicular biopsy showed that the signs were more related to the gonadotropic deficit than to the gonadal dysgenesis; tubular hyalinization was not observed. Plasma levels of testosterone and oestradiol were very low. Plasma gonadotropin levels were below normal ranges and did not respond to an infusion test of GnRH. GnRH was administered iv every 90 min for 3 weeks by an auto syringe infusion pump and induced a pulsatile response of FSH and LH. Plasma levels of testosterone and oestradiol were unaffected. It may be concluded that the results of pulsatile injection of GnRH confirmed in this patient a unique association of Kallmann's syndrome with complete 47 XXY Klinefelter's syndrome.

[Immunohistochemical study of the human testis and epididymis with a monospecific antiserum against the sex-steroid-binding plasma protein]. / Etude immunohistochimique du testicule et de l'épididyme humains à l'aide d'un antisérum monospécifique dirigé contre la protéine plasmatique liant les hormones sexuelles.

Sex-steroid-binding-plasma protein (SBP) is present at a very low concentration in human plasma. The preparation of a monospecific Rabbit antiserum against this protein allowed to demonstrate the tissular localization of antigenic determinants identical to SBP determinants by indirect immunofluorescence in human testis and epididymis.

[Detection and follow up of inflammatory lesions of the central nervous system by means of cytological study of the cerebrospinal fluid (author's transl)]. / Détection et surveillance des états inflammatoires du système nerveux central par l'examen cytologique du liquide céphalo-rachidien.

Cytocentrifugation gives an excellent quantitative and qualitative preservation of the cerebrospinal fluid cells. This method permits the study various types of meningeal or ventricular inflammatory changes (acute inflammatory changes with granulocytes, immunitary type or macrophagic changes) and causal diagnosis. During meningitis following bleeding or neurosurgical operation, repeated cytological examinations allow a simple but useful follow up of the evolution during the treatment.

[Histologic and karyometric changes in thyroid C cells of male golden hamsters during the annual cycle]. / Modifications histologiques et caryométriques des cellules C de la thyroïde du Hamster doré mâle au cours du cycle annuel

The thyroid C cells of the male golden Hamster present morphological modifications related to variations of activity during the year: the nuclear volume undergoes two reduction phases, one in autumn and the other in May. On the other hand at the beginning of winter there is a clear hypertrophy of the nucleus.