Role of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in Male Reproduction and Sperm Motility.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is secreted by Sertoli cells and is responsible for the regression of Müllerian ducts in the male fetus as part of the sexual differentiation process. Serum AMH concentrations are at their lowest levels in the first days after birth but increase after the first week, likely reflecting active Sertoli cell proliferation. AMH rises rapidly in concentration in boys during the first month, reaching a peak level at ∼6 months of age, and it remains high during childhood, then they will slowly decline during puberty, falling to low levels in adulthood.

Necrozoospermia: The tree that hides the forest.

Background: Necrozoospermia is a condition found in 0.2%-0.4% of male infertility cases.

Azoospermia and reciprocal translocations: should whole-exome sequencing be recommended?

Background: Although chromosome rearrangements are responsible for spermatogenesis failure, their impact depends greatly on the chromosomes involved. At present, karyotyping and Y chromosome microdeletion screening are the first-line genetic tests for patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. Although it is generally acknowledged that X or Y chromosome rearrangements lead to meiotic arrest and thus rule out any chance of sperm retrieval after a testicular biopsy, we currently lack markers for the likelihood of testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in patients with other chromosome rearrangements.

Contribution of serum anti-Müllerian hormone in the management of azoospermia and the prediction of testicular sperm retrieval outcomes: a study of 155 adult men.

Background: Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is the method of choice for recovering spermatozoa in patients with azoospermia. However, the lack of reliable biomarkers makes it impossible to predict sperm retrieval outcomes at TESE. To date, little attention has been given to anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) serum levels in adult men with altered spermatogenesis.

[Update of Chlamydia trachomatis infection].

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide. It is asymptomatic in most cases and mainly affects young women, with potential long term sequelae (pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal infertility, obstetric complications). The impact on male fertility is controversial.

New insights into the morphological and hormonal characteristics of spermatogenic arrest.

The reported sperm retrieval rate (SRR) in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) due to spermatogenic arrest (SA) is highly variable in the literature. This discrepancy could be explained by the heterogeneity of testicular tissues. Surprisingly, even though inhibin B levels reflect directly Sertoli cell function; no studies have evaluated this parameter in SA.

Leydig cell tumor of the testis with azoospermia and elevated delta4 androstenedione: case report.

Background: Secreting interstitial cell (Leydig cell) tumors are rare. In adults, the clinical picture and steroid levels are variable.

Case Presentation: This paper presents a case of left testicular tumor, showing azoospermia with normal serum level of total testosterone, collapsed FSH and LH, and high delta4 androstenedione.

Beneficial effects of varicocele embolization on semen parameters.

Background: The value of varicocele repair and the latter's impact on semen parameters are still subject to debate.

Methods: We analyse changes over time in initially abnormal sperm parameters and serum concentrations of testosterone, FSH and inhibin B after embolization treatment of males with high-grade varicocele. From 2007 to 2012, we recruited 47 male infertile patients with clinically visible left varicocele in the resting patient and at least one abnormal semen parameter.