DICENTRIC Y-CHROMOSOME IN AN AZOOSPERMIC MALE

We describe a 28 year old male with a pseudodicentric Y chromosome who suffered from azoospermia attributed to maturation arrest of the prim ary spermatocyte, as diagnosed by testicular biopsy. Chromosome analys is, using G, Q and C banding techniques, revealed an abnormal karyotyp e of 45,X[7]/46,X,psu dic (Y)(pter-->q11.2::q11.2-->pter)[33]. Polymer ase chain reaction (PCR) DNA analysis did not detect the absence of DA Z and RBM1 which are candidates for azoospermic factor (AZF) genes. Th erefore, it is suggested that the maturation arrest of the primary spe rmatocyte in this patient was caused either by a pairing dysfunction b etween the X and Y chromosomes during meiosis or by deletions in the a utosomal or the Y chromosomal spermatogenesis controlling genes, exclu ding DAZ and RBM1.