Azoospermia factor and male infertility |
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Authors: | Eitetsu Koh Ho-Su Sin Masato Fukushima Mikio Namiki |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Integrated Cancer Therapy and Urology, Andrology Unit, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan |
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Abstract: | Recently, work has shown that azoospermia factor (AZF) microdeletions result from homologous recombination between almost identical blocks in this gene region. These microdeletions in the Y chromosome are a common molecular genetic cause of spermatogenetic failure leading to male infertility. After completion of the sequencing of the Y chromosome, the classical definition of AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc was modified to five regions, namely AZFa, P5/proximal-P1, P5/distal-P1, P4/distal-P1, and AZFc, as a result of the determination of Y chromosomal structure. Moreover, partial AZFc deletions have also been reported, resulting from recombination in their sub-ampliconic identical pair sequences. These deletions are also implicated in a possible association with Y chromosome haplogroups. In this review, we address Y chromosomal complexity and the modified categories of the AZF deletions. Recognition of the association of Y deletions with male infertility has implications for the diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counseling of infertile men, in particular candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. |
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Keywords: | AZF Intrachromosomal recombination Male infertility Palindrome Y chromosome |
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