Electron microscopic and enzyme investigations of the testicular tissue in infertile males.

The ultrastructural characteristics of the testicular tissue in male infertility and the isoenzyme spectrum of some enzymes in sperm cells have been studied. The testicular material was taken by Vilar's method from three healthy males with normospermia and eleven males with hypogonadism, azoospermia and infertility. The material was treated by the routine methods for electron investigation and the observations were done with an electron microscope Opton EM 109. Horizontal electrophoresis of the testicular homogenate was done according to Nance. Malate dehydrogenetic activity (MDX) was rendered according to the method of Shaw and Prasad, and diaphoresis (DP) was carried out according to Brewer. It was found that spermatogenesis was interrupted at the pachytene stage at an ultrastructural level. Biochemical investigations showed that in the infertile testis two other atypical fractions appeared on diaphoresis, while at the malate dehydrogenase, a second fraction had considerably lower intensity as compared to the controls. It is pointed out that some profound disorders developing in the infertile testis affect mainly the germinal cells, which was proved at the ultrastructural level and also by the analysis of the isoenzymes MDH and DF key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism.