FINE STRUCTURE OF ROUND-HEADED HUMAN SPERMATOZOA

Abstract

Summary. Two, unrelated, infertile patients presented spermiograms in which all the spermatozoa had globular heads. The most striking features of the unique ultrastructure were complete lack of both an acrosome and a postacrosomal sheath. Thin chromatin threads radiated towards the highly modified nuclear envelope. Some cells showed a partial or total absence of a nuclear envelope. Abnormally arranged mitochondria and tubular derangement in the axoneme were common findings. Such spermatozoa are incapable of fertilization.