Flow cytometry of human testicular tissue.

Flow cytometry of testicular tissue from autopsies showed differences in the proportion of substained spermatozoa (1 CA), spermatids (1 CB), diploid 2C nuclei and premeiotic spermatozoa in the 4 C class. The evaluation of the histograms was performed with computer assistance. Healthy accident cases or those delivered in forensic medicine furnished the control values. Patients with hepatic cirrhosis showed a nearly complete loss of the haploid class, while cases with fatty degeneration of the liver demonstrated a reduction. Circulatory insufficiency in cases of acute shock resulted in an increase in the 4C values of meiotic prophase I and a decrease of spermatids. Spermatozoa were normal in these cases. After prolonged shock a nearly complete breakdown of spermatogenesis was observed. In cases of atherosclerosis an irregular degree of reduction was seen. Cancer patients showed a reduction of spermatogenesis in correlation to therapy.