Atlas of Human Sperm Ultrastructural Morphology

This atlas provides ultrastructural morphological images of human spermatozoa. Sperm morphology plays an essential role in sperm-oocyte interactions and early embryonic development, and human sperm ultrastructural morphology offers a valuable reference tool for assessing certain etiologies of male infertility and reproductive failure. However, the ultrastructural morphology of human sperm has not been systematically evaluated or thoroughly described in the literature. Using 470 original and unpublished images, the book shows various ultrastructural morphological phenotypes; defects of the sperm head, neck, middle piece, principal piece, and terminal piece; as well as artefacts of sperm ultrastructural morphology and phenomena related to inadequate preparation, demonstrating many sperm phenotypes and surface structural appearances for the first time. As such, it helps researchers and practitioners in andrology, reproductive medicine, and reproductive pathology gain a better understanding of human sperm ultrastructural morphology.

Introduction of human sperm ultrastructural morphology.- Ultrastructural morphology of human sperm head.-   Ultrastructural morphology of human sperm neck.- Ultrastructural morphology of human sperm middle piece.-   Ultrastructural morphology of human sperm principal piece.- Ultrastructural morphology of human sperm terminal piece.- Ultrastructural morphological measurement of human sperm.- Artefacts of human sperm ultrastructural morphology.- Phenomena related to inadequate preparation of human sperm.

Dr. Wei-jie Zhu is a Professor at the Institute of Reproductive Immunology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. He received his B.S in Biology and M.S in Developmental Biology from Jinan University, and holds a PhD in Male Reproduction from the South China University of Technology. He became a full Professor in 1998. He is currently the associate editor-in-chief of the “Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception.”

Dr. Zhu has completed 20 scientific research projects funded by a variety of foundations. He has authored or co-authored more than 300 papers in international and national journals, dealing with aspects of andrology, infertility etiology, cryobiology, and contraceptive vaccine. Currently his research focuses on human sperm functional evaluation, effects of pollutants on reproductive glands, semen cryopreservation, and assisted reproductive techniques.