Infertility Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Infertility, including details on male and female infertility, treatment, causes, pregnancy.

Genetic sperm defects.

Chenoweth PJ

School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia. pchenoweth@csu.edu.au

Genetic sperm defects are specific sperm defects, which have been shown to have a genetic mode of transmission. Such genetic linkage, either direct or indirect, has been associated with a number of sperm defects in different species, with this number increasing with improved diagnostic capabilities. A number of sperm defects, which have proven or suspected genetic modes of transmission are discussed herein, with particular emphasis on cattle. These include: 1. Acrosome defects (knobbed, ruffled and incomplete); 2. Head defects (abnormal condensation, decapitated, round head, rolled head, nuclear crest); 3. Midpiece abnormalities ("Dag" defect, "corkscrew" defect, "pseudo-droplet" defect); 4. Tail defects ("tail stump" defect, primary ciliary dyskinesia).

Published 18 July 2005 in Theriogenology, 64(3): 457-68.
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