Human Fertility

Male Infertility: Old Problem and New Horizons

Research into male infertility has long been subservient to its female counterpart. While the reasons for this imbalance are understandable, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the male factor makes a significant contribution to overall incidence of human infertility. Our current understanding is that deficiencies in sperm production, transport and function are directly or indirectly involved in 50% of human infertility. Unfortunately, despite the prevalence of this condition, the aetiology of defective sperm quality is unclear, in a vast majority of cases. This is clinically important because, in addition to failures of conception, defects in the male germ line are thought to have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of the offspring. The vulnerability of male reproduction stems from the inherent complexity of the spermatogenic process and from its susceptibility to environmental influences in the form of chemical pollutants (e.g. phthalate esters, bisphenols and parabens) heat, radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, age and obesity.  This collection of papers will enable us to capture the most recent advances in the field and provide insights into its future development.

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms responsible for driving male infertility is important because it will inform future methods for the clinical management of this condition. Currently, a vast majority of male-factor patients are enrolled in ICSI programs without any attempt to understand the underlying aetiology. Given that the conventional semen profile is a descriptive tool rather than an informative diagnostic procedure, around 70% of all male infertility cases are now classified as idiopathic. If we are to develop procedures for treating the male patient rather than enrolling his female partner in an invasive ART cycle, a knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology will be critical. Similarly, a deeper understanding of the ways in which the fertilizing spermatozoon influences embryonic development will help us modulate the impact of paternal factors on offspring health. Our ability to preserve human spermatozoa in vitro, or to generate these cells ex vivo, will also depend on our understanding of the cellular mechanisms regulating the production and maturation of human spermatozoa.

The collection is open to reviews  or original research articles describing recent developments in our understanding of male infertility and the methods that are used clinically to diagnose and treat this condition. Subject areas include:

Fundamental aspects of sperm biology

• Spermiogenesis: mechanisms regulating translational control of pre-existing mRNA species
• Sperm programming during epididymal maturation
• Sperm biology : capacitation and fertilization

Sperm preservation

• Novel approaches to sperm cryopreservation
• Novel approaches to ambient temperature storage

Aetiology of male infertility

• Genetic causes of male infertility
• Oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, infertility
• Varicocele – origins and impact
• Metabolic contributions to male infertility
• Transposable elements and male infertility
• Environmental, occupational and lifestyle impacts on male infertility

Paternal impacts on offspring health

• Sperm epigenome and offspring health
• Genetic mutations and offspring health
• Parental age and offspring health

Diagnosis and treatment of male infertility

• ICSI or IVF
• Seminal redox status
• Sperm selection – microfluidic, electrophoretic
• Sperm DNA damage
• Importance of ‘omics
• In vitro spermatogenesis

Trends in male infertility

• Falling sperm counts
• Male contribution to global fertility decline

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts.  

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.  

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is July 31st, 2027. 

Please contact Menghan Li at menghan.li@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection. 

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.