Male Infertility

Professor Thinus F. Kruger MD FRCOG - Reproductive Biology Unit, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Tygerberg Hospital, Tygerberg, South Africa Professor Sergio Oehninger - Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA

SECTION 1: BASIC CONCEPTS: SPERM PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY



1. Functional anatomy and molecular morphology of the spermatozoon

2. Physiology and pathophysiology of sperm motility

3. The pathophysiology and genetics of human male reproduction

4. Contribution of the male gamete to fertilization and embryogenesis

5. Genome architecture in human sperm cells: possible implications for male infertility and prediction of pregnancy outcome

6. Sperm pathology: pathogenic mechanisms and fertility potential in assisted reproduction

7. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS): biological and clinical significance



SECTION 2: DIAGNOSIS OF MALE INFERTILITY



8. Evaluation of the subfertile male

9. The basic semen analysis

10. Advances in automated sperm morphology evaluation

11. Sperm morphology training and quality control programs are essential for clinically relevant results

12. The role of the acrosome index in prediction of fertilization outcome

13. Acrosome reaction: physiology and its value in clinical practice

14. Sperm-zona pellucida binding assays

15. Detection of DNA damage in sperm

16. Chromosomal and genetic abnormalities in male fertility

17. Reactive oxygen species and its impact on fertility

18. How do we define male subfertility and what is the prevalence in the general population?

19. DNA fragmentation and its influence on fertilization and pregnancy outcome

20. The impact of the paternal factor on embryo quality and development: the embryologist’s point of view



SECTION 3: THERAPEUTIC ALTERNATIVES FOR MALE INFERTILITY



21. Clinical management of male infertility

22. Urological interventions for the treatment of male infertility

23. Medical treatment of male infertility

24. Male tract infections: diagnosis and treatment

25. Sperm-washing techniques for the HIV-infected male: rationale and experience

26. Treatment of HIV discordant couples – the Italian experience

27. Artificial insemination using homologous and donor semen

28. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: current status of the technique and outcome

29. Sperm retrieval for intracytoplasmic sperm injection

30. Hyaluronic acid binding by human sperm: andrology evaluation of male fertility and sperm selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection

31. In-vitro maturation of spermatozoa

32. New developments in the evaluation and management of the infertile male