Mucus Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Mucus and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Identify the urine sediment element indicated by the arrow in the illustration: | View Page |
| Identify the urine sediment element shown by the arrow: | View Page |
| Identify the urine sediment elements shown by the arrow: | View Page |
| Materials Needed The following is a list of materials needed for semen analysis. Laboratories will differ slightly in the equipment used. Use of this equipment will be described further in the later pages of this course.
Materials needed include:graduated test tube or serological pipets with safety bulb to measure volumepH paper in neutral to basic range (e.g. 7.2-8.8)counting chamber and/or automated counting machineglass slides and coverslips for wet mount if motility and sperm count are to be assessed separatelyhand counterif dilution is donediluting fluid calibrated automatic pipetspositive pressure pipets and glass boreslight microscope with phase contrast objectives for sperm count and bright field objectives for morphology assessmentglass slides and fixative for morphology slidesset-up for performing Papanicolaou or other morphology stainingEvery laboratory should also have a copy of the "WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human Semen and Sperm-Cervical Mucus Interaction", published on behalf of the WHO by Cambridge University Press. The fourth edition was published in 1999. | View Page |
| Composition of Semen Semen is produced as a combination of secretions from the different regions of the male reproductive tract. Each fraction differs in chemical composition and function. The combination of these fractions during ejaculation results in the optimal environment for transporting sperm to the endocervical mucus in the female. Spermatozoa are produced in the testes. They mature in the epididymis. The testes also produce testosterone and inhibin.Fluid from the seminal vesicles accounts for approximately 70% of semen volume. The seminal vesicles are the source of fructose in semen. Fructose is used by the spermatozoa as an energy source.The prostate gland supplies about 20% of the volume of semen. Its fluids include acid phosphatase and proteolytic enzymes that lead to coagulation and subsequent liquefaction of semen. The prostate also contains most of the IgA found in semen.The bulbourethral gland produces mucoproteins that make up about 5% of the volume of semen. | View Page |
| Motility Motility of a normal semen sample is 50% or greater.Sperm motility is important because sperm must be moving in order to penetrate the cervical mucus, travel to the fallopian tube, and fertilize ova.Accurate motility evaluation requires that the temperature be standardized. Some laboratories read motility at 37°C while others routinely report motility at room temperature. The temperature of the assessment should be specified in the final report. | View Page |
| Phase-Contrast Microscopy Phase contrast is used to detect casts and mucus which have a very low refractive index and may be missed using brightfield microscopy. Phase contrast enhances the outlines of casts and mucus, making their detection much easier. | View Page |
| Large Clumps of White Cells Large clumps of white cells, such as the ones shown in the slide, are typically found in chronic infection. The clumping is due to increased mucus in the urine. | View Page |