Chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm.

R H Martin

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-2127-9_6

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Chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm.

R H Martin

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Abstract

The ability to analyze human sperm chromosome complements after penetration of zona pellucida-free hamster eggs provides the first opportunity to study the frequency and type of chromosomal abnormalities in human gametes. Two large-scale studies have provided information on normal men. We have studied 1,426 sperm complements from 45 normal men and found an abnormality rate of 8.9%. Brandriff et al. (5) found 8.1% abnormal complements in 909 sperm from 4 men. The distribution of numerical and structural abnormalities was markedly dissimilar in the 2 studies. The frequency of aneuploidy was 5% in our sample and only 1.6% in Brandriff's, perhaps reflecting individual variability among donors. The frequency of 24,YY sperm was low: 0/1,426 and 1/909. This suggests that the estimates of nondisjunction based on fluorescent Y body data (1% to 5%) are not accurate. We have also studied men at increased risk of sperm chromosomal abnormalities. The frequency of chromosomally unbalanced sperm in 6 men heterozygous for structural abnormalities varied dramatically: 77% for t11;22, 32% for t6;14, 19% for t5;18, 13% for t14;21, and 0% for inv 3 and 7. We have also studied 13 cancer patients before and after radiotherapy and demonstrated a significant dose-dependent increase of sperm chromosome abnormalities (numerical and structural) 36 months after radiation treatment.

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Aneuploidy Chromosome Aberrations Chromosome Banding Chromosome Disorders Female Heterochromatin Humans Karyotyping Male Neoplasms Oocytes Radiotherapy Sperm-Ovum Interactions Spermatozoa Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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R H Martin. 1985. Chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm.. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2127-9_6

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