Role of human- and animal-sperm studies in the evaluation of male reproductive hazards
Human sperm tests provide a direct means of assessing chemically induced spermatogenic dysfunction in man. Available tests include sperm count, motility, morphology (seminal cytology), and Y-body analyses. Over 70 different human exposures have been monitored in various groups of exposed men. The majority of exposures studied showed a significant change from control in one or more sperm tests. When carefully controlled, the sperm morphology test is statistically the most sensitive of these human sperm tests. Several sperm tests have been developed in nonhuman mammals for the study of chemical spermatotoxins. The sperm morphology test in mice has been the most widely used. Results with this test seem to be related to germ-cell mutagenicity. In general, animal sperm tests should play an important role in the identification and assessment of potential human reproductive hazards. Exposure to spermatotoxins may lead to infertility, and more importantly, to heritable genetic damage. While there are considerable animal and human data suggesting that sperm tests may be used to detect agents causing infertility, the extent to which these tests detect heritable genetic damage remains unclear. (ERB)
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5292776
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-87236; CONF-8108125-1; ON: DE82013404
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Latin American course in genetic toxicology, Mexico City, Mexico, 24 Aug 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MUTAGEN SCREENING
SPERMATOZOA
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CYTOLOGY
MAN
MICE
MORPHOLOGY
ANIMALS
BIOLOGY
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
MAMMALS
PRIMATES
RODENTS
SCREENING
VERTEBRATES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
560305 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)
550300 - Cytology