Age-related morphological peculiarities of human testes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the isolated testes size, volume, weight and density changes with age and to establish the suitability of three formulas of testicular volume calculation for 18-50 and 51-70-year-old men groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and six testes of 103 men (59 of 18-50-year-old and 44 of 51-70-year-old men) were weighed and their size was measured by the sliding calliper. The accurate volume was determined by water displacement and compared with volume calculated using three formulas, and the density of testicular tissues was calculated. RESULTS: The mean length and height of both testes and length and height of right and left testes decreased significantly with age. The mean width of both testes and width of right and left testes decreased with age insignificantly. The mean of water displacement volume and weight and volume and weight of right and left testes decreased with age significantly. The mean density of testicular tissues and the density of the right and left testes increased significantly with age. In the same age group, the size, water displacement volume and weight of right testes was insignificantly higher than that of the left ones, and the density of testicular tissues was similar in the right and left testes. CONCLUSIONS: The prolate spheroid formula was most suitable for calculation of testicular volume for 18-50-year-old men and prolate ellipsoid formula was most suitable for calculation of testicular volume in 51-70-year-old men.

Evaluation of morphological criteria of sperm quality before in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

The quality of sperm has a direct influence on the fertilization and developmental competence of embryos. In the literature we did not find defined criteria for evaluation of normal sperm parameters in various species of domestic mammals. Therefore we attempted to review evaluation of criteria of morphologically normal human sperm and their abnormalities. All sperm cells observed in the stained sample are classified as normal or abnormal. Any abnormalities in morphology of sperm have a negative effect on the outcome in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Abnormal sperm are categorized into subgroups according to the observed defects (concerning the head and/or midpiece and/or tail). Most morphologically abnormal sperm have multiple defects. This article can be considered as guideline for the manual of sperm quality evaluation in different species of domestic mammals.

The influence of medium on viability of bovine morulae produced in vitro after their biopsy.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of two different media on the viability of in vitro produced biopsied bovine morulae. Bovine morulae were produced in vitro, then biopsied and cultured in the Ham's F10 and IVM media. Cultured and control morulae were stained with Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide. Morulae were classified morphologically for excellent, good and degenerated quality. 42.86% of biopsied morulae cultured in the Ham's F10 medium and only 11.11% (only one) of these embryos cultured in the IVM were of excellent quality. Embryos of good quality were about 2 times less numerous in Ham's F10 medium (28.57%) than in IVM medium (55.5%) (P < or = 0.05). 28.57% of biopsied morulae cultured in Ham's F10 medium and 33.33% of these embryos cultured in the IVM degenerated (P > or = 0.05). The media had no significant influence on the number of total and viable blastomeres of morulae cultured in vitro after biopsy (P > or = 0.05). But the quantity of restored (excellent and good quality) embryos was higher when they were cultured after biopsy in Ham's F10 medium than in IVM. These statistically significant results (P < or = 0.05) show that the Ham's F10 medium is better for the restoring of biopsied bovine embryos produced in vitro than IVM.