Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T04:55:36.770Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 15 - Genetic aspects of infertility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2010

Larry I. Lipshultz
Affiliation:
Baylor College of Medicine
Stuart S. Howards
Affiliation:
University of Virginia
Craig S. Niederberger
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Chicago
Get access

Summary

This chapter focuses on the genetic basis of male infertility. The male specific Y (MSY) is a chromosomal material that bridges the two polar pseudoautosomal regions and is unique in the human genome. A karyotype and Y-chromosomal microdeletion assay should be obtained as complementary tests in all non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and severely oligospermic men prior to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the use of testicular sperm. Prognosis and planning are optimized with any informative result. Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein is the rate-limiting step for androgen biosynthesis in particular and all steroids in general. The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis controls human sexual maturation and spermatogenesis. The hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) which regulates the production of Folliclestimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) by the pituitary gonadotropes. Kallmann syndrome results from the failure of the GnRH-releasing neurons to migrate to the olfactory lobe during development.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×