1,721,011 research outputs found
Follicle-stimulating hormone treatment in oligozoospermic patients
No full textFollicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a crucial role in human reproduction. Already, in the fetal and neonatal developmental stages, FSH activates the proliferation of the Sertoli cells and successively, in the pubertal phase, induces the mitotic activity of the spermatogonia and supports cellular differentiation to the round spermatid stage. This physiological role in spermatogenesis has induced various attempts to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH. It is well known that treatment with gonadotrophins is very effective in subjects affected by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, often leading to the restoration of normal spermatogenesis. The success of this treatment in these men has brought the utilization of the therapy with FSH in infertile oligozoospermic subjects, aimed at obtaining a quantitative increase in sperm count. However, the results obtained so far are still controversial. In this article, the literature is reviewed and the authors' experience on using FSH treatment in oligozoospermic subjects is discussed. © 2008 Expert Reviews Ltd
Recombinant FSH in the treatment of oligozoospermia
No full textBACKGROUND:
FSH plays a crucial role in human reproduction. Treatment with gonadotrophins has been shown to be effective in males affected by hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The success of this treatment has brought about the utilization of the same therapy in infertile oligozoospermic subjects, aimed at obtaining increased sperm count. This physiological role in spermatogenesis has induced various attempts to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH, often inducing the restoration of normal spermatogenesis and spontaneous pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate clinical efficacy of recombinant FSH in male infertility.
METHODS:
Evaluation of pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic properties, efficacy and safety of this hormone preparation, on the basis of the data published in literature.
CONCLUSIONS:
Recombinant FSH is effective, safe and well tolerated. Treatment with this hormone may represent a valid tool for infertile men. However it should be performed on selected patients utilizing some predictive parameters able to identify a priori responder subjects with high probability
Hormonal and genetic control of testicular descent
No full textCryptorchidism has the potential to affect the health of the human male. Although it is often considered a mild malformation, it represents the best-characterized risk factor for reduced fertility and testicular cancer. The aetiology of cryptorchidism remains, for the most part, unknown and cryptorchidism itself might be considered a complex disease. This reflects the intricate mechanisms regulating testicular development and descent from intra-abdominal location into the bottom of the scrotum, involving different anatomical and hormonal factors. Major actors of testicular descent are the Leydig cell-derived hormones testosterone and insulin-like factor 3, even if other factors may play a role. Although considerable evidence exists in animals to support a genetic cause, the genetic contribution to human cryptorchidism is only recently being elucidated. Environmental factors might also contribute to the aetiology of cryptorchidism and its increased incidence in recent years. Mutations in the gene for insulin-like factor 3 and its receptor and in the androgen receptor gene explain a minority of cases of cryptorchidism, but research on genetic polymorphisms that may also influence susceptibility to endocrine disruptors is shedding light on this field
Hormonal treatment of male infertility: FSH
No full textFSH plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis. In the fetal and neonatal development stages, FSH activates the proliferation of the Sertoli cells and successively, during the pubertal phase, it influences the mitotic activity of the spermatogonia and encourages cellular differentiation, until arrival at the round spermatid stage. Because of its physiological role in spermatogenesis, various attempts have been made to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH. However, the results obtained so far are still controversial. In this research, attention was focused on the possible criteria able to predict a seminal response to this specific hormonal treatment. Furthermore, the effectiveness of FSH therapy was evaluated in terms of sperm count and pregnancy rate. Thus far, based on more recent knowledge about the FSH receptor gene, the authors have correlated different polymorphisms of this gene with the outcome of FSH treatment. In this paper, the literature is reviewed and the authors' experience on using FSH in male infertility is discussed
Follicle-stimulating hormone treatment of male infertility
No full textPURPOSE OF REVIEW:
Treatment with gonadotrophins is very effective in patients affected by hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The success of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) treatment in these men has brought the utilization of the same therapy in infertile oligozoospermic patients, aimed at obtaining a quantitative increase in sperm count.
RECENT FINDINGS:
FSH plays a crucial role in human reproduction. This physiological role in spermatogenesis has induced various attempts to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH, often inducing the restoration of normal spermatogenesis and spontaneous pregnancy. However, the results obtained so far are still controversial. In this research, attention is focused on the possible criteria able to predict a seminal response to the specific hormonal treatment. Moreover, we have correlated different polymorphisms of FSH receptor gene with the outcome of FSH treatment. In this article, the literature is reviewed, and the authors' experience on using FSH treatment in oligozoospermic patients is discussed.
SUMMARY:
FSH treatment may represent a valid tool for infertile men. However, it should be performed on selected patients utilizing some predictive parameters able to identify a priori responder patients with high probability
Metabolic syndrome and erectile dysfunction: the ultrasound evaluation of cavernosal atherosclerosis.
No full textIncreased osteocalcin-positive endothelial progenitor cells in hypogonadal male patients
Full text linkOBJECTIVE:
Endothelial dysfunction is considered a key factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Endothelial regeneration is necessary for the maintenance of endothelial function and circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) participate of it in both direct and indirect manner. The molecular phenotype of EPC is not univocally defined and recent studies identified an osteocalcin (OCN)-positive (EPC-OCN+) subpopulation of EPC highly correlated with atherosclerosis progression.
AIM:
Considering that hypogonadism is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis, we investigated the circulating levels of EPC-OCN+ in hypogonadal patients.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
Ten hypogonadotropic hypogonadal (HH) male patients and 30 healthy eugonadal men were evaluated for clinical status and hormonal levels. Circulating levels of CD34+/CD133+/kinase insert domain-receptor+ EPC and EPC-OCN+ were also determined by flow cytometry.
RESULTS:
Compared to controls, HH patients displayed lower FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone, and EPC levels. On the contrary, EPC-OCN+ were significantly increased.
CONCLUSIONS:
The observed association of low levels of circulating EPC and increased values of EPC-OCN+ sub-population in hypogonadal men strengthens the significance of hypogonadism as cardiovascular risk factor
- …
