Meiotic chromosome studies and synaptonemal complex analyses by light and electron microscopy in 47 infertile or sterile males.

Mitotic and meiotic chromosome studies and synaptonemal complex analyses by light and electron microscopy have been carried out in a selected series of 47 infertile or sterile males with highly abnormal seminograms, affecting the number of spermatozoa, their morphology and/or motility. In 46 cases, the karyotype was 46,XY. One patient had a 13/14 translocation. With the exception of the patient with a 13/14 translocation, and three patients with desynapsis (8.5%), all other cases showed either normal or absent metaphase I figures. However, synaptonemal complex analysis by light and electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of pairing anomalies (desynapsis, fragmented or irregular synaptonemal complexes) in 31.9% of the patients studied. The total number of synaptic anomalies observed (40.4%) is higher than in a former light microscopy study of 111 infertile or sterile patients (28.8%) probably because the higher resolution of the electron microscope permits the characterization of some anomalies that cannot be detected with the light microscope. The electron microscope should therefore be used in all cases in which the light microscope provides doubtful results.