When investigating fertility concerns, a common course of action is to rule out sperm cell-related causes of infertility first since obtaining the relevant specimens is generally less invasive. Sperm number and motility are typically the first parameters assessed in a semen sample. Vitality is another commonly assessed parameter, particularly when motility is deemed poor since it allows physicians to differentiate between live non-motile sperm and dead sperm cells. The procedure for determining vitality is to place sperm in a hypotonic solution and observe the specimen under the microscope after a 5-minute incubation. This short incubation time allows for observable cellular changes without causing cell death. What type of microscope would you recommend using to observe sperm cells for this laboratory test and why? Describe what you would expect to observe in the case of a live sperm cell and why? How can you distinguish it from a dead sperm cell in the same sample?
When investigating fertility concerns, a common course of action is to rule out sperm cell-related causes of infertility first since obtaining the relevant specimens is generally less invasive. Sperm number and motility are typically the first parameters assessed in a semen sample. Vitality is another commonly assessed parameter, particularly when motility is deemed poor since it allows physicians to differentiate between live non-motile sperm and dead sperm cells. The procedure for determining vitality is to place sperm in a hypotonic solution and observe the specimen under the microscope after a 5-minute incubation. This short incubation time allows for observable cellular changes without causing cell death.
What type of microscope would you recommend using to observe sperm cells for this laboratory test and why?
Describe what you would expect to observe in the case of a live sperm cell and why? How can you distinguish it from a dead sperm cell in the same sample?
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
