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Infertility in Males

Infertility in Males

Male infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, arising from various factors that impact different stages of the reproductive process. An endocrine imbalance resulting from conditions like hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, or pituitary disorders can disrupt hormone levels and reduce sperm production. Testicular defects, such as tumors, cryptorchidism, atrophic testes, abnormal sperm morphology, and low sperm count or motility, may arise due to genetic factors, structural...

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...

Sperm Structure and Semen Composition

Sperm Structure and Semen Composition

During ejaculation, males release around 2-5 milliliters of semen, which is a complex mixture of mature sperm and various fluids produced by accessory glands. The mature sperm cells measure approximately 60 micrometers in length and consist of a head, neck, midpiece, and tail. The head is flattened and tapered, measuring about 4 to 5 micrometers in length. It contains a nucleus with condensed chromosomes and an acrosome, a cap-like structure filled with enzymes essential for penetrating the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects

Published on: April 21, 2022

Microarray analysis in sperm from fertile and infertile men without basic sperm analysis abnormalities reveals a

N Garrido¹, J A Martínez-Conejero, J Jauregui

¹Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. nicolas.garrido@ivi.es

Fertility and Sterility

|March 28, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sperm mRNA analysis reveals significant differences between fertile and infertile men with normal semen parameters. This finding offers new diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for male infertility.

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Isolate Cell-Type-Specific RNAs from Snap-Frozen Heterogeneous Tissue Samples without Cell Sorting

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Published on: December 8, 2021

Area of Science:

Reproductive biology
Molecular genetics
Male reproductive health

Background:

Standard sperm analysis (World Health Organization guidelines) often fails to identify molecular causes of male infertility.
Normal basic sperm parameters and absence of female gynecologic pathology do not exclude male infertility.
Advanced diagnostic tools are needed to investigate unexplained male infertility.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare sperm messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles between fertile and infertile men with normal semen parameters.
To identify molecular discrepancies that could explain infertility in men with seemingly normal sperm function.
To explore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of sperm mRNA profiling.

Main Methods:

Utilized microarray technology to analyze sperm mRNA expression.
Compared gene expression profiles in sperm samples from a cohort of fertile and infertile men.
Ensured all participants had normal basic semen parameters and their female partners had no gynecologic pathology.

Main Results:

Identified profound discrepancies in sperm mRNA expression profiles between fertile and infertile men.
Observed distinct molecular signatures associated with infertility despite normal conventional semen analysis.
Preliminary data suggests significant molecular differences impacting sperm function.

Conclusions:

Sperm mRNA profiling is a promising tool for diagnosing male infertility when standard parameters are normal.
Discrepancies in sperm mRNA expression highlight potential molecular targets for future therapies.
This approach opens new avenues for understanding and treating unexplained male infertility.