MANUAL PHYSIOLOGY PRACTICAL - Repository:The Medical ...

FM/UOJ
EXPERIMENT R1
DETERMINATION OF SPERM COUNT
Semen analysis is done to determine whether:
1. A man is infertile or not
2. Vasectomy has been successful or not
3. Reversal of Vasectomy has occurred or not
To study the above, various aspects of sperm (morphology, count and motility)
and semen characteristic (volume, liquefaction time, pH, abnormal cells and fructose
level) are assessed.
To determine the fertility of a man, minimum of two semen samples should be
tested at least 7 days apart. Sperm count is expressed as number of sperm per one
milliliter of semen per ejaculate. In the sperm count, principle and procedures are similar
to those for blood cell count with a few modifications.
Instruments:
The micro pipette:
50µl and 1000µl micropipettes. (WBC pipette also can be used)
Haemocytometer (counting chamber):
The Improved Neubauer counting chamber, described with red cell count is
widely used. Of the nine large squares of the counting area, the square at the center is
used to count red cells; this square is divided into 25 medium sized squares (0.2mm x
0.2mm). Each of the medium squares is further divided into 16 small squares. As RBC,
sperms are counted in the four medium sized squares at the four corners and the one at the
center. The volume of the fluid contained in one of the medium sized square would be
0.004 cu.mm (0.2 x 0.2 x 0.1).
Exercise:
Place the counting chamber under the microscope and study the squares on the
platform.
Dilution Fluid:
1000ml of dilution Fluid contains 10 ml of 35% formaldehyde (formalin), 5ml of
saturated solution of gentian violet and 50g NaHCO 3 in distilled water.
Reproduction
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