Experimental methods to preserve male fertility and treat male factor infertility

Abstract

Infertility is a prevalent condition that has insidious impacts on the infertile individuals, their families and society that extend far beyond the inability to have a biological child. Lifestyle changes, fertility treatments and assisted reproductive technologies are available to help many infertile couples achieve their reproductive goals. All of these technologies require that the infertile individual is able to produce at least a small number of functional gametes (eggs or sperm). It is not possible for a person who does not produce gametes to have a biological child. This review focuses on the infertile man and describes several stem cell-based methods and gene therapy approaches that are in the research pipeline and may lead to new fertility treatment options for azoospermic men.

Primary Human Testicular Cells Self-Organize into Organoids with Testicular Properties

“…The 2D models currently available are limited and the results obtained difficult to extrapolate to a tissue (Chapin et al., 2013), while the presently available 3D culture system is suitable only for short-term evaluations (Jørgensen et al., 2015, Roulet et al., 2006). In the clinic, a system enabling in vitro spermatogenesis is the missing link in male fertility preservation and treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia (Gassei and Orwig, 2016). Going further, pluripotent stem cells from men who completely lack germ cells might be combined with TOs to produce artificial gametes more efficiently than what is currently possible (Easley et al., 2012).…”

Protein biomarkers for male artificial insemination subfertility in bovine spermatozoa

“…In the human, infertile men can undergo medical treatments with conventional and advanced biotechnologies, including artificial insemination (AI) by husband, conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF), intra‐cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and micro‐testicular sperm extraction 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Henceforth, it might become important to argue that the use of novel findings and techniques (for instance, in vitro generation of male germ cells and gene therapy) in assisted reproductive technology should be used to overcome male infertility or subfertility 13, 14, 15, 16, 17…”

Regenerative Medicine: A New Dawn for Male Reproductive Issues

“…It is impossible for an azoospermic person to have a biological child. 27 This review article emphasises on the infertile men and describes stem cell-based methods that are in the research pipeline and have an immense potential to provide a new fertility treatment options for men with azoospermia.…”

“…These SSC could be used to restore fertility, if cryopreserved during prepubertal stage. So Gassei et al 27 froze SSC samples from the testes of prepubescent and adult male Rhesus macaques. The monkeys were then given chemotherapy agents known to shut down sperm production.…”