BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Genetic factors contribute about 10 per cent of male infertility. Among these, genes in azoospermia factor (AZF) region including AZFa, AZFb, AZFc and AZFd on the long arm of Y chromosome are considered most important for spermatogenesis. Deletions in these regions are thought to be involved in some cases of male infertility associated with azoospermia or oligozoospermia...

INTRODUCTION Although assisted reproduction techniques are used extensively in Iran, screening for Y chromosome microdeletions before intracytoplasmic sperm injection is often undervalued. Our aim was to investigate Y chromosome microdeletions in men with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligospermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 99 selected patients with azoospermia or severe oligospermia and el...

The non-recombining portion of the Y-chromosome contains numerous polymorphisms; therefore, it is now the most informative haplotyping system with wide-ranging applications. Idiopathic azoospermia and oligospermia are among the most important causes of male infertility. Different haplogroups may have different genetic backgrounds, which may be either susceptible or unsusceptible to idiopa...

Idiopathic azoospermia and oligospermia are one of the most important reasons for male infertility. Abnormal karyotype and azoospermia factor (AZF) microdeletion are two widely acknowledged reasons, but the most causes remain unclear. Y chromosome, as the male-specific chromosome, is closely related to the development of male reproductive system. To understand better the etiology of idiopathic...

BACKGROUND Infertility is a health problem which affects about 10-20% of married couples. Male factor infertility is involved approximately 50% of infertile couples. Most of male infertility is regarding to deletions in the male-specific region of the Y chromosome. OBJECTIVE In this study, the occurrence of deletions in the AZF region and association between infertility and paternal age were ...

Adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells express a cAMP-activated guanine nucleotide exchange protein (Epac2) that may function in ACTH-stimulated cortisol synthesis. Experiments were done to determine whether cAMP analogs that selectively activate Epacs could induce cortisol synthesis and the expression of genes coding for steroidogenic proteins in bovine AZF cells. Treatment of AZF cells with the...

BACKGROUND Azoospermia factor c (AZFc) subdeletions were reported to be significant risk factors for spermatogenesis. In this study, we assessed the occurrence of classical AZF deletions and AZFc subdeletions and their impact on male infertility in a Han-Chinese population. METHODS This study analysed a population of 699 subjects, including 451 idiopathic infertile patients with a range of fe...

Objective Approximately 15 percent of couples are infertile. The male factor is responsible for approximately 50% of the cases. One of the main genetic factors playing a role in male infertility is Y chromosomal microdeletion within the proximal long arm of the Y chromosome (Yq11), named azoospermia factor (AZF) region. Recent studies have also demonstrated that there is a potential connection ...

Background The human Y chromosome is essential for human sex determination and male germ cell development and maintenance. In 1996, Vogt et al. identified three recurrently deleted regions in Yq11 termed the azoospermia factor (AZF). The AZF region is subdivided into three non-overlapping sub-regions called AZFa, AZFb and AZFc and microdeletion in these regions is the most important etiology of...