IMAGE CYTOMETRY FOR QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF DNA IN THE TESTES OF INFERTILE MEN WITH VARICOCELE - COMPARISON WITH FLOW-CYTOMETRY

Purpose: The first aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of image cytometry comparing flow cytometry to analyze the spermatogenesi s using testicular biopsy specimens obtained from infertile male. The second is to investigate the spermatogenesis of infertile men with var icocele by image cytometry. Materials and Methods: A total of 76 biops y specimens of testicular tissue were obtained from 38 infertile men w ith varicocele and 6 specimens of normal testicular tissue controls we re obtained from 6 volunteers at vasectomy. They were evaluated by ima ge cytometry and pathohistological examination. Out of 76 specimens, 2 1 biopsy tissues were also analyzed by flow cytometry, and the results by both image cytometry and flow cytometry were compared. Two specime ns from Sertoli cell only testes were also examined by image and flow cytometry. Results: In comparative study, image cytometry revealed a d ecrease in the proportion of haploid and diploid cells (18.8 +/- 6.6% and 32.4 +/- 7.4%), and an increase in that of tetraploid cells (21.8 +/- 5.6%) vs. the flow cytometry findings (haploid, 25.9 +/- 9.2%; dip loid, 36.8 +/- 6.5% and tetraploid, 15.1 +/- 5.9%). Image cytometric a nalysis of the testes of varicocele patients showed 15.9 +/- 5.6% hapl oid, 31.7 +/- 7.9% diploid and 16.2 +/- 8.9% tetraploid cells in the l eft testis of infertile men, while their right testis showed 16.6 +/- 5.4% haploid, 30.0 +/- 7.6% diploid and 17.2 +/- 6.4% tetraploid cells . The testes of normal men showed 37.6 +/- 8.3% haploid, 19.4 +/- 4.8% diploid and 17.4 +/- 5.8% tetraploid cells. The left and the light te stes of the patients with varicocele showed a lower proportion of hapl oid cells and a higher proportion of diploid cells vs. the testes from normal men. The proportions of the haploid and diploid cells are corr elated with sperm concentration. Conclusion: Image cytometry could exc lude interstitial cells, Sertoli cells, and sperm on the static image, so produced an accurate assessment of spermatogenesis. The alteration in the germ cell population in the testes of infertile men with varic ocele suggested that the impairment mostly affected the cells in the m eiotic stage.