IDENTIFICATION OF IMMATURE GERM-CELLS IN SEMEN OF STALLIONS

Six stallions considered to be reproductively normal and five stallion s previously diagnosed as having testicular degeneration served as tes t subjects. Morphologic evaluations were performed to determine cell t ypes present in ejaculates from these stallions based on Diff-Quik (Ba xter Dade Diagnostics, Inc., Miami, Fla.) stained smears and fixed sem inal samples, to determine cell types observed on Diff-Quik stained sm ears, and to compare the results from Diff-Quik stained slides to thos e from fixed seminal samples. Immature germ cells, as well as epitheli al cells, were detected in ejaculates of both normal and abnormal stal lions, suggesting that testicular degeneration cannot be assessed on t he basis of immature germ cells in a stallion's ejaculate.