Explaining the futility of the reproductive process in humans: past, present, and future

Albertini, David F.

doi:10.1007/s10815-017-0878-6

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Albertini [7] noted how, over 65 years ago, Bleading experts on animal reproduction who together first queried the apparent futility of human reproduction relative to the most thoroughly studied animal models of the day that included domesticated species, non-human primates and guinea pigs.^Baboons, generally a good model for human reproduction, can show close to 80% successes [8], compared to about 30% for humans [9,10], or less.…”

Section: A Basic Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary justifications for human reproductive limitations

Lubinsky

2018

J Assist Reprod Genet

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Common human reproductive inefficiencies have multiple etiologies. Going against chance, many effects, such as polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and folate metabolic issues, have genetic components, while aneuploid losses arise from diverse mitotic and meiotic errors at different stages, some transitory. This can be advantageous, since greater overall survival with fewer offspring can increase reproductive success. Benefits primarily accrue to mothers, who bear most child related costs, and for whom early losses are less costly than late. Different adaptations to different situations reflect human evolutionary history. For early speciation, periodic climate extremes repeatedly reduced resources, favoring limitations while contracted populations helped fix relevant genes. Later, under better conditions, evolving social cooperation could increase fecundity faster than it added resources, further supporting reproductive suppression through mitotic aneuploidy, with very early losses minimizing maternal costs. The grandmother hypothesis suggests benefits in limiting reproduction as maternal age increased pregnancy risks in order to support grandchildren as they arrived, selecting for maternal age-related meiotic aneuploidy. Finally, with variable short-term agricultural shortages, acute reproductive responses arose through chromatin "nutrient sensor"-regulated epigenetic effects that also shifted some lethal effects earlier, reducing both maternal and mutation load costs. Overall, despite suggestions to the contrary, it is likely that human selective pressures have not decreased with civilization, but that many of the costs have been shifted to early reproduction.

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Section: A Basic Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary justifications for human reproductive limitations

Lubinsky

2018

J Assist Reprod Genet

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“…To this end, some apoptotic markers have been proposed in semen, such as activation of caspases, disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MMP), externalization of phosphatidyl-serine (PS), and increased DNA fragmentation [13,14]. Despite that higher levels of some of the mentioned factors have been found in infertile patients [15], to the moment their use is limited only to research protocols, with no application in routine andrological laboratories [16]. Several tests were developed to detect damaged DNA and are used to evaluate the proportion of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA.…”

Section: Novel Concepts In Male Factor Diagnosis and Treatment: Andromentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Annexin V based Sperm Selection in Assisted Reproduction

Teijeiro¹,

Munuce²,

Caille³

et al. 2017

Andrology

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Innovative methods to select sperm subpopulations with the best fertilizing ability are needed in assisted reproductive techniques (ART) in order to improve fertilization and pregnancy rates, while also considering possible epigenetic effects on the offspring. Molecular based selection methods are searched for, under the premise that they could be an improvement over classical selection by morphology and movement. One of these methods sustains the elimination of sperm that can bind to annexin A5 (ANX V), coupled to paramagnetic beads, through the phosphatidyl-serine exposed on their membranes upon apoptosis. Although reports accumulate about the use of this method, controversy persists as to the benefits of ANX V based sperm selection in ART. In this review we consider the arguments in favour and against this method and conclude that to the moment the evidence does not support MACS regular use in ART.

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Explaining the futility of the reproductive process in humans: past, present, and future

Cited by 2 publications

References 6 publications

Evolutionary justifications for human reproductive limitations

Evolutionary justifications for human reproductive limitations

Use of Annexin V based Sperm Selection in Assisted Reproduction

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