The effect of the gametogenesis on serum FSH, LH and prolactin levels in infertile men.

In a group of 270 infertile men serum FSH, LH and prolactin levels were estimated and testicular biopsy was done on all subjects. This investigation showed highly significant influence of histologic appearance on serum FSH and LH but not on serum prolactin levels. Significant elevation of serum FSH level was first detected in men with spermatogenic arrest at the level of the primary spermatocyte, but the greatest number was in men without any germ cell in the seminiferous tubules. Serum LH level depended very much on the presence or absence of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules and were significantly elevated only in cases with seminiferous tubules deprived of the germ cells. According to this study serum FSH and LH levels were found to be good discriminator of testicular histologies.