fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: a potential technique for noninvasive detection of spermatogenesis

background: the seminal plasma is an excellent source for noninvasive detection of spermatogenesis. the seminal plasma of normospermic and azoospermic men has been analyzed for detection of spermatogenesis. methods: optical spectroscopy (attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy (atr-ir) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ft-ir) has been used to analyze the seminal plasma and the metabolome of seminal plasma for detection of spermatogenesis. results the seminal plasma of normospermic and azoospermic men has been analyzed by atr-ir. the results show that there is a pattern variation in the azoospermic men compared to normospermic men. however, the seminal plasma is too complex to show significant pattern variation. therefore, the metabolome which is a subcomponent of the seminal plasma was analyzed. the seminal plasma metabolome of normospermic and azoospermic men has been analyzed by ft-ir. a significant pattern change was observed. the data combined with chemometrics analysis showed that significant changes are observed at metabolome level. conclusion: we suggest that ft-ir has the potential as a diagnostic tool instead of testicular biopsy.