Sperm as a Possible Source of Transgenerational Epimutations and Genetic Instability

Abstract

For the past 25 years, male infertility has been successfully treated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), while diagnosis and aetiology of the underlying problem have not been completely understood. The origin for the poor spermatogenesis can be explained by anatomical anomalies (e.g. cryptorchidism), iatrogenic causes (e.g. chemotherapy), lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking/drugs) or genetic anomalies (e.g. Klinefelter, Y-chromosome AZF deletions, de novo mutations, etc.) but still in almost 60% of cases, infertility is categorized as unexplained. The percentage of genetic causes involved in male infertility increases with the severity of the oligospermia, been highest in azoospermia.