[Fluorescence of the Y chromosome and male sterility]

Barlow and Vosa's (1970) quinacrine coloration procedure was performed on human seminal smears from normal volunteers and on subjects who were selected from those couples who were consulting us for sterility. This analysis proves the specificity of the quinacrine coloration test, and reveals a significant decrease in the numbers of Y-spermatozoa in oligospermic patients with teratospermia and asthenospermia. The role of structural modifications of the chromatin in producing this effect is postulated. Particulars are given of how to perform the coloration technique on specially fixed slides and a table is given showing the frequency of spermatozoa with the Y chromosome in relationship to the parameters of the semen analysis. Furthermore the figures given in the literature by other authors are compared with those of this study and this altogether proves the reliability of the technique developed.