Seminal androgen concentrations and residual sperm cytoplasm

To explore a possible link between seminal androgen concentrations and residual sperm cytoplasm, which constitutes one of the cytological anomalies of the spermatozoon middle piece, testosterone (T), delta4-androstenedione, the precursor of T during testicular androgen biosynthesis and the active metabolite of T, dihydrotestosterone, were assayed in the seminal fluid of 37 patients. A statistically significant correlation was found by linear regression (r = +0.380, P = 0.020, y = 0.02x + 0.45) between seminal T concentrations and the percentage of spermatozoa with a residual cytoplasmic droplet. Given the impact on fertility of residual sperm cytoplasm, assessment of seminal T concentrations could provide useful information on the fertility status of patients.