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Bilateral nonpalpable testes in the adult human are associated with testicular malignancy, infertility and other abnormalities. Investigation for localization of the testes is mandatory, and either orchidopexy or orchidectomy is indicated. Laparoscopy was performed in an azoospermic male with bilateral unpalpable testes. A diagnosis of intra-abdominal testes was made and bilateral orchidectomy was performed. Laparoscopy is recommended for diagnosis and precise localization, as well as for orchidectomy, thus avoiding open abdominal operation in cases of intra-abdominal testes.

The migration-sedimentation technique (MST) has been proposed as a means of separating high quality motile spermatozoa. The present study was conducted in order to evaluate whether sperm performance following separation by MST predicts their fertilizing capacity in an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. Ninety semen specimens were analysed for use in an IVF-embryo transfer (ET) programme. Each specimens was divided into two parts: one was processed in the IVF programme and was used after sperm swim-up separation for insemination of human ova. The other aliquot (0.2 ml) was separated by MST, and the sperm then characterized by their concentration, motility, degree of motility and morphology. Sperm characteristics after separation by MST were then correlated with the results of the IVF-fertilization rates. In 79 of 90 IVF-ET cycles, at least one oocyte was fertilized. All post-MST sperm characteristics were significantly higher in cycles with fertilizations compared to IVF cycles without fertilization. A larger percentage of the total motile spermatozoa were recovered after MST in semen specimens with fertilization, compared to semen specimens without fertilization (39.9 +/- 3.6 and 20.6 +/- 6.6%, respectively; P < 0.05). This value was correlated with the percentage of fertilized oocytes (r = 0.24; P < 0.02). More IVF cycles with fertilizations were recorded in cases in which the recovery of motile sperm was > 25% (P < 0.005), or when more than 1.5 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa were recovered after MST (P < 0.0001). As sperm characteristics after MST correlated significantly with their fertilizing capacity, the MST test could be used in evaluation of the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa.

Full semen analysis including sperm and seminal plasma (SP) was performed on 534 men, within 3 months of their wives conception, 65% of the pregnant wives eventually delivered, while the remainder aborted. The abortions were divided into five groups: early abortion (6%), late abortion (3%), repeated abortion (14%), and habitual abortion (12%). SP quality of the husbands of the various groups were identical. The motility and vitality of spermatozoa of the various groups were in the same range. Sperm concentration was significantly higher in the repeated and habitual abortion groups with a tendency to polyzoospermia. The morphology of spermatozoa was much better in these two groups. Generally, sperm quality of the men whose wives were repeated or habitual aborters was better than in the other groups. We could not find any evidence in the routine semen analysis indicating that sperm quality was responsible for the abortions. The reason for the abortions seems to be a female factor or chromosomal aberrations.

The filtration capacity of bovine cervical mucus (BCM), fresh bovine cervical mucus (FBCM) or frozen and thawed bovine mucus (BCMF) was studied, using human-ejaculated spermatozoa in comparison with the properties of human cervical mucus (HCM). Thirty semen specimens of good quality were used in cervical mucus (CM) penetrations, using capillary tubes containing CM of 30 HCM, 77 FBCM and 77 BCMF samples. Spermiocytograms were carried out on semen and cervical mucus at 1st and 3rd centimeter of the capillary tube after one hour of incubation. Smears were stained by Papanicolaou and the patterns of seven forms of sperm cells (normal, tapering, macrocephals, microcephals, pinhead, neck pathology and amorphous cells) were counted on a total of 100 cells in each slide. A clear, highly significant (P less than 0.0001) selection of cells penetrating the CM has been shown, preventing certain abnormal forms from penetrating the CM (macrocephals, neck pathology and amorphous cells) and enabling good penetration of normal sperm forms and moderate penetration of tapering, microcephals and pinhead cells. On the average, a specimen with normal sperm forms of 72% showed a spermiocytogram of 90% normal forms at the 3rd centimeter of migration. The same patterns of filtration were recorded in all the three sources of CM. It is suggested that BCM be used as a filter towards abnormal sperm forms in a highly teratozoospermic ejaculate in order to improve its quality for artificial inseminations.

A method for the determination of delta 5 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase (3 beta-HSD) activity in intact isolated Leydig cells was established. This method utilizes the conversion of [7-3H]dehydroepiandrosterone (1.04 mumole) to androstenedione and expresses the activity of the enzyme as mumoles of androstenedione produced/microgram DNA/h. The reaction is limited to 0.5 - 4 micrograms DNA of Leydig cells/ml (equivalent to 0.1-0.8 million of Leydig cells/ml) and to 1 h of incubation at 34 degree C. The 3 beta-HSD activity of 44 suspensions of Leydig cells isolated from adult rats was found to be 1.13 +/- 0.03 (SE) mumoles/microgram DNA/h. This new method for direct measurement of 3 beta-HSD activity in intact Leydig cells was found to be rapid, easy to perform and highly reproducible.

The effect of alpha-chlorohydrin (alpha-CH) on rat epididymal spermatozoa was studied in vivo and in vitro. Alpha-CH was injected sc in doses of 5 and 20 mg daily for 16 days. The 20 mg dose resulted in diminished epididymal spermatozoal content (8 +/- 4 vs. 44 +/- 5 million, m +/- SE, n = 5) and motility (13 +/- 7 vs. 74 +/- 4%) as compared to saline injected-controls. Fertility rates were significantly reduced; control-100% (5/5), 5 mg - 25% (1/4), 20 mg - 0% (0/4). Alpha-CH was added to suspensions of spermatozoa in vitro and a level of 132 micrograms/ml depressed motility by 90% (P less than 0.0001) and O2 consumption by 40% (P less than 0.05). Intrauterine insemination of in vitro treated spermatozoa was performed in 61 pro-oestrous rats. Alpha-CH treated spermatozoa (from 5.3 to 26.400 micrograms/ml) were found to be completely infertile compared to untreated spermatozoa which showed a 63% fertility rate. There was almost complete absence of oocytes in the flushed ampullas of recipients of alpha-CH treated sperm, in the lowest dose which did not affect sperm motility. Thus, alpha-CH has direct effect upon spermatozoal function and also has a possible effect on the female reproductive tract.