NON-POISSON DISTRIBUTION OF SPERM FROM GRANDFATHERS IN ZONA-FREE HAMSTER OVA

Earlier reports indicated that sperm from 25% of patients from infertile couples, but not from normal or fertile donors, show deviations from the theoretical Poisson distribution of the number of sperm penetrating zona-free hamster ova. Using semen samples from 15 grandfathers (aged 60 to 84 years) and 24 young fathers (aged 25 to 36 years), this study analyzed whether age also has an effect on the distribution. It was found that the overall fit to the Poisson distribution of the samples from grandfathers was very poor; in contrast, the samples from young fathers fit well. The observed deviations from the Poisson distribution among grandfathers may be a consequence of their long periods of sexual abstinence. Decrease in sexual activity produces age-different populations of sperm that probably differ in penetrating ability. Samples from older fathers also show a worse fit to the Poisson distribution than do those from younger fathers. These results suggest that the duration of sperm storage in the genital tract after maturation has an effect on sperm function.