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PMID: 24643631 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review

Molecular mechanisms involved in varicocele-associated infertility.

Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics ·Vol. 31 ·No. 5 ·2014-05-00 ·Pages 521-6

Sheehan MM, Ramasamy R, Lamb DJ

Abstract

Varicocele is a pathologic enlargement of the pampiniform venous plexus within the spermatic cord, a condition that is a common cause of impaired sperm production and decreased quality of sperm. While varicocele is the most common surgically correctable risk factor for male infertility, not all males with varicocele experience infertility. In fact, most men with varicocele have normal spermatogenesis. Despite its prevalence, the molecular mechanisms of varicocele and its effect on testicular function are yet to be completely understood. We postulate that men with varicocele-associated infertility could have preexisting genetic lesions or defects in molecular mechanisms that make them more susceptible to varicocele-mediated testicular injury affecting spermatogenesis.

MeSH Terms
Humans Infertility, Male/chemically induced,etiology Male Oxidative Stress Smoking/adverse effects Spermatogenesis Stress, Physiological Testosterone/metabolism Varicocele/complications
Chemicals
Testosterone
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Sheehan Matthew M
Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Ramasamy Ranjith
Lamb Dolores J
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Article Info
Journal
Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics
Abbr.
J Assist Reprod Genet
ISSN
1573-7330
DOI
10.1007/s10815-014-0200-9
Published
2014-05-00
Epub
2014-00-19
Pages
521-6
Language
English
Region
Netherlands
NLM ID
9206495
PMCID
PMC4016365
Subset
IM
Grants
NICHD NIH HHS · K12 HD073917 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/s10815-014-0200-9 PMC Full Text View journal details
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