For effective fertilization, we not only require good number of motile sperm but also need sperm which are morphologically normal. Sperm are classified as normal only when the head, mid-piece and tail are free of abnormalities. The Wondersperm Diff Quick Morphology staining kit allows us to visualize the sperm morphology and highlight any abnormalities which may be present. Proper assessment of sperm morphology helps us in identifying factors affecting the fertilization potential of spermatozoa.
The Diff Quick staining procedure is based on the differential staining of the semen sample. Stain I will result in the staining of the sperm nucleus (pink) and Stain II will give a contrasting background (blue) to allow the clear visualization of sperm. Sperm are categorized as normal or abnormal as per the WHO criteria as mentioned in the table below.
| Normal Morphology | Pathological Morphology | |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Regular oval shape, well-defined acrosome region without vacuoles and a volume of 40–70% of the head | Too big, too small, too thin and long, pear-shaped, round, amorphous, with acrosome vacuoles (>2 or more than 20%), post-acrosomal vacuoles, too small or too large acrosomes. |
| Mid - Piece | Narrow, regular, about as long as the head. The main axis of the head and middle piece should be in line Cytoplasmic droplets of the mid-piece should be <30% of the head size | Asymmetric connection to the head, middle piece irregularly, too thick, bent or too thin. Cytoplasmic droplets >30%. |
| Tail | The tail should be thinner than the mid-piece, uniform and the length should be about 10 times the length of the head. The tail may be curved, but should be without abrupt kinks. | Too short, multiple tails, kinks, irregular thickness, spiral-shaped, coiled tail. |
