A glass column has been devised which removes the majority of debris and agglutinated and dead spermatozoa from, as well as reduces the total viscosity of, the semen sample. It is a simple procedure to perform and may have potential clinical significance.
PIP: A glass wool column procedrue which removes the majority of debris and reduces the total viscosity of human ejaculate is reported. The column consists of a 5-inch glass Pasteur pipette filled with 40-60 mg of loosely packed glass wool fiber. The ejaculate is passed through the pipette and collected in glass vials. Viscosity of various samples was measured by timeing the rate of sample flow through standardized 5-inch pipettes without glass wool in them. In samples tested the mean sperm density fell from 99 x 10 (6) ml to 65 x 10 (6) ml. 6 Initially, there was an everage of 42 x 10 (6) ml spermatozoa with forward progression, representing 42% of the total. After flowing through the column there was an average of 45 x 10 (6) ml, or 70% spermatozoa noving forward, Viability of the specimens was analyzed on 4 samples incubated for 4 hours. The treated samples maintained their motility over this period. Prior to the samples' application there was a wide variabion in initial viscosities. However, after passage the final viscosities were approximately the sample. There was a percentage loss of dead sperm of 98%. In a sample with a 100% dead sperm count, the resulting retention of dead sperm after passing through the column was 97%. In live-dead staining of the material in the ejaculate the majority was found to be dead. The reduction of the viscosities of ejacultes aids in their freezing-and in their ability to penetrate the cervical mucus.