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Human Reproduction Update, Vol.6, No.4 pp.404-412, 2000
© European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 2000; all rights reserved

Evaluation of `round cells' in semen analysis: a comparative study

E. Johanisson1, A. Campana1, R. Luthi1 and A. de Agostini1

1 Clinic of Infertility and Gynecological Endocrinology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Human Reproduction, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Geneva University Hospital, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland

To whom correspondence should be addressed at: A. de Agostini, Laboratory of Andrology, Clinic of Infertility and Gynecological Endocrinology, 32bis Boulevard de la Cluse, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. Phone: +41 22 382 4346; Fax: +41 22 347 5979; e-mail: deagosti{at}cmu.unige.ch

Abstract

The aims of this review are to evaluate the morphological differences between `round cells' of spermatogenic and non-spermatogenic origin in semen. The latter group includes inflammatory cells like neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages, and epithelial cells. A comparison was made between non-spermatogenic cells in semen samples and inflammatory cells in blood smears, using various staining procedures commonly used in routine andrology laboratories. The result presented in this review confirmed previously published data. In blood smears as well as in semen samples, only neutrophil leukocytes (both eosinophilic and basophilic) showed a positive reaction when exposed to the peroxidase stain. Lymphocytes, macrophages and other `round cells' such as epithelial cells and spermatogenesis cells remained negative. It could be concluded that the neutrophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes were the only `round cells' showing a positive reaction in the semen samples. The presence of specifically stained neutrophils in semen was considered to be compatible with an infection and/or a subsequent inflammatory reaction in the male genital tract. The potential influence of inflammatory cells in the sperm samples on infertility/subfertility is discussed. However, the question of determining if morphologically abnormal, degenerated spermatids are still capable of fertilizing an oocyte in vitro is not addressed in this review.

Key words: inflammatory cells / peroxidase stains / routine staining procedures / semen analysis / spermatogenesis cells


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