ANALYSIS OF SPERMATOZOA FROM THE PROXIMAL VAS-DEFERENS OF FERTILE MEN

Fluids from the left and right proximal vas deferens were collected fr om 105 normal fertile men by cannulating the vas deferens during vasec tomy, and sperm parameters analysed. Sperm motility (73.1 +/- 13.3%), normal sperm morphology (75.2 +/- 11. 1%), sperm viability (72.7 +/- 1 8.8%) and the hypo-osmotic swelling test (73.3 +/- 19.2%) were in the normal range, compared with that of ejaculated spermatozoa. However, s perm concentration in the proxmial vas deferens (6274.6 +/- 5103.8 x 1 0(6) ml-1 was higher than that in semen. Sperm concentration in the ri ght vas deferens was significantly higher (P < 0. 05) than that in the left and the percentage of spermatozoa showing abnormal cervical mucu s penetration was significantly higher (47%) for the left than for the right (18%). There were no anti-sperm antibodies on the surface of sp ermatozoa from the vas deferens as determined by the sperm cervical mu cus contact test and immunobead test. These parameters of spermatozoa from the proximal vas may reflect those of spermatozoa from the human cauda epididymis.