Immotile-Cilia Syndrome

A case of immotile-cilia syndrome was presented. Thirty-one-year-old man with the chief complaint of infertility had suffered from respiratory tract infection since early childhood.A review of the family tree reveals no chronic respiratory tract infection or infertility. Physical examination was negative except for dextrocardia. Gonadotropins and androgen were within normal range.Semen analysis was as follows; volume 3.6ml, count 92×106/ml, motility 0%, live spermatozoa 70%, abnormal spermatozoa 8%.Absent or lowered function of nasal cilia was demonstrated by charcoal powder method.By electron microscopic observation microtubules and spoke of sperm flagella were normal. However, outer dynein arms were not found and inner dynein arms were partially missing. In the ciliary structure of nasal epithelium of the patient, outer dynein arms were almost normal, but inner dynein arms were partially lacking.