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Fetal programming
Published in Hung N. Winn, Frank A. Chervenak, Roberto Romero, Clinical Maternal-Fetal Medicine Online, 2021
Katherine E. Pelch, Jana L. Allison, Susan C. Nagel
The incidence of male reproductive tract disorders, including cryptorchidism, hypospadias, testicular cancer, and low sperm count, has increased over the last 30 to 50 years (168–174). It has been postulated that these disorders comprise a testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) and may have a common etiology of deficient androgen production or action during development of the testes in fetal life (175).
The Infertile Male
Published in Arianna D'Angelo, Nazar N. Amso, Ultrasound in Assisted Reproduction and Early Pregnancy, 2020
Thoraya Ammar, C. Jason Wilkins, Dean C.Y. Huang, Paul S. Sidhu
Infection is a common cause of obstruction anywhere along the course of the male reproductive tract, especially the epididymis (Figure 7.7). Acute gonococcal or subacute chlamydial infections can lead to scarring and subsequent obstruction (Figure 7.8). Iatrogenic epididymal obstruction may be sustained after surgical removal of an epididymal cyst.
Principles of Pathophysiology of Infertility Assessment and Treatment*
Published in Asim Kurjak, Ultrasound and Infertility, 2020
Joseph G. Schenker, Aby Lewin, Menashe Ben-David
Mumps orchitis at puberty may be responsible for 30% of males with disturbances in the spermatogenetic process. Azoospermia may be found in males who have undergone operative correction of bladder neck with uretheral reimplantation during childhood and in patients who were treated by chemotherapy and radiation for malignant diseases. Cases of testicular failure secondary to endocrinopathies like hypopituitarism due to a tumor or focal infection are of primary important to be diagnosed since they can benefit from the application of hormonal therapy. Defective sperm transport may be due to some mechanical block anywhere from the rete testis to the ejaculatory duct. The obstruction of the male reproductive tract may be caused by congenital malformation, postinfection (gonorrhea, tuberculosis), or surgery. Infection of seminal vesicles and the prostate may alter the quality, volume, and pH of the seminal fluid, which serves as a vehicle and provides protective and nutritive elements for spermatozoa. Varicocele of the spermatic veins, usually unilateral, is associated with decreased sperm count and lower sperm motility. Testicular biopsy from infertile patients with varicocele shows bilateral abnormalities characterized by hypoplasia of germinal cells and the presence of immature forms in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules.
Exploring the internal exposome of seminal plasma with semen quality and live birth: A Pilot Study
Published in Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine, 2023
Emily Houle, YuanYuan Li, Madison Schroder, Susan L McRitchie, Tayyab Rahil, Cynthia K Sites, Susan Jenkins Sumner, J. Richard Pilsner
Seminal plasma is the medium produced by several accessory sex glands of the male reproductive tract. Approximately 90% of semen is comprised of seminal plasma (Duncan and Thompson 2007), which protects and nourishes sperm during transit in the male reproductive tract and, subsequently, in the female reproductive tract. The components of seminal plasma are diverse and include fructose, putrescine, spermine, and spermidine, which protect sperm from the acidic female reproductive tract. Other components include proteins, extracellular vesicles, RNAs, and antioxidants (Dobrakowski et al. 2017; Ayaz et al. 2021). These components have been shown to play important roles in sperm development and function, suggesting that the seminal plasma is not just a medium for sperm transfer and protection but can also be utilized as a biospecimen matrix to study spermatogenesis and male infertility (Panner Selvam et al. 2021). In addition to the endogenous metabolites and proteins related to the host metabolism, many xenobiotic compounds originating from environmental and other exogeneous exposures (e.g., nutrition, pharmaceuticals, etc.) can also be identified in seminal plasma (Laws et al. 2021; Rodprasert et al. 2021).
Oxidative versus reductive stress: a delicate balance for sperm integrity
Published in Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine, 2023
Niloofar Sadeghi, Guylain Boissonneault, Marziyeh Tavalaee, Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani
In conclusion, this review causes one to consider emerging evidences that in addition to oxidative stress, reductive stress may also be involved in the production of an elevated level of ROS (Figure 4). Limited studies show that reductive stress may be involved in varicocele and over-supplementation of antioxidants and may aggravate ROS production. We are, however, at the early stages of understanding this new concept in male infertility. Potential mechanisms, involved in inducing reductive stress are presented but call for caution as this might be related to compartmentalization of the male reproductive tract and related to the physiological needs of sperm. Research is needed to test if the over-supplementation of antioxidants could lead to reductive stress and excess ROS production and delineate or revise clinical approaches to minimize its effect or permit remediation.
SARS-CoV-2 effects on male reproduction: should men be worried??
Published in Human Fertility, 2023
Marziye Farsimadan, Mohammad Motamedifar
The exact mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 leads to reproductive damages in males is not well-established, but the elevated body temperature resulting from the persistent fever that can hinder spermatogenesis (or lead to its impairment) is the most likely involved mechanism. Researchers believe that there are two possibilities of how the SARS-COV-2 virus can affect testicular cells and result in reproductive disorders: (i) they suggest that SARS-COV-2 virus may cause testicular damage through an inflammatory and immunological response; or (ii) may directly attack the reproductive system (Öztürk et al., 2020). The important point is that once viruses are present in the male reproductive tract, they can persist in this location because the testicular immune response is restricted to enable sperm survival, thus making the testes an immunologically privileged site (Almeida et al., 2020).