Varicocele and Impaired Fertility Potential: Molecular Signaling and Mechanisms Involved
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Signaling".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 3147
Special Issue Editor
Interests: andrology; pediatric chirurgy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Following the definitions of the WHO, male reproductive health is the subject of andrology. Many andrological diseases can be diagnosed during pediatric and pubertal age, and if treated can reduce male factor infertility. Varicocele still remains the most frequently diagnosed and treatable cause of impaired fertility potential at any age.
According to different series, the overall prevalence of varicocele ranges from 4.1% to 35.1%. In particular, varicocele is found in 35% of males with primary infertility, and in 80% of males with secondary infertility. Among adolescents, 1/3 of subjects has almost one grade of spermatic vein reflux, and more than 30% of these patients will be treated for testicular homolateral hypotrophy before adulthood.
The interest in varicocele has changed since the 1950s, when the first relationship between varicocele and infertility was suggested. Efforts to prevent infertility aim to ensure early treatment of this disease, and thus interest has moved from adult to pediatric varicocele.
Approximately 50% of couple infertility is attributable to male problems, and about 15–30% of infertile males are affected by treatable surgical and non-surgical diseases associated with endocrine defects characterized by low levels of sex steroids, abnormal gonadotropin levels, and other factors.
It has been reported that many factors can contribute to the clinical evolution of varicocele during adolescence, but less is known about how these factors may affect testicular function. Sex hormone biogenesis occurs in the mitochondrion, so many factors may be associated with impaired fertility potential. Very few studies have been performed on human cells in order to understand the origins of male fertility impairment, including the biological causes of the reduced sperm production/motility and dysfunction in hormone production. Thus, a deep characterization of the biological/biochemical features of human testicular cells could help in the prescription of the best therapy avoiding ineffective treatment or time lost in the achievement of pregnancy.
The objective of this Special Issue is to report on the connection between varicocele and molecular or cellular signaling alterations involved in impaired fertility, focusing on those aspects that could be treatable or easily diagnosed. Another important aspect may be the proposal of new diagnostic tools to evaluate the severity of infertility and new potential therapeutic approaches.
Prof. Nicola Zampieri
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- varicocele
- infertility
- signaling
- hormones
- treatment
- testes
- adolescence
- adulthood
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