Main description:

Studies on Men's Health and Fertility provides a comprehensive series of up-to-the-minute reviews addressing the role of oxidative stress in the aetiology of reproductive pathologies in the male. This volume represents by far the most detailed, authoritative review of the field that has been produced to date. The text encompasses the basic science of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by mammalian spermatozoa, the way in which these highly reactive molecules are processed by the germ line and the physiological significance of this redox activity in the generation of a functional gamete. The factors responsible for perturbing the delicate balance between physiological redox signaling on the one hand and oxidative stress on the other are also extensively reviewed and some of the first clues concerning the underlying mechanisms (age, heat, infection, cryostorage, aberrant lipid metabolism), clearly identified. From a clinical perspective there are chapters setting out the methods we should be using to diagnose oxidative stress in the male germ line, a clinical perspective on the aetiology of this condition and detailed considerations of the most suitable means of ameliorating such stress from a therapeutic point of view.

Studies on Men's Health and Fertility is intended to provide clinicians and scientists with a snap shot of the current status of this exciting, rapidly moving field. The book will be of value to clinicians interested in strategies for the management of oxidative stress in their infertility patients and scientists wishing to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning the generation of ROS by these cells and its pathophysiological significance. It was not so long ago that the ability of spermatozoa to generate ROS was a hotly disputed topic. With the publication of this book such doubts can finally be laid to rest. There is now no doubt that these cells actively generate ROS, that oxidative stress is a major contributor to defects in male reproductive health and that the successful clinical management of this condition depends on developing a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this quest, Studies on Men's Health and Fertility will be seen as a clear and important milestone.

Contents:

Electromagnetic Radiation and Oxidative Stress in the Male Germ Line.- Mitochondria as a Source of ROS in Mammalian Spermatozoa.- Cryostorage and Oxidative Stress in Mammalian Spermatozoa.- Sperm Capacitation as an Oxidative Event.- Protection of Epididymal Spermatozoa from Oxidative Stress.- Lipid Peroxidation in Human Spermatozoa.- Age and Oxidative Stress in the Germ Line.- Heat and Oxidative Stress in the Germ Line.- Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in the Germ Line.- Metabolic Strategy in Mammalian Spermatozoa and Oxidative Stress.- Role of Protamine Disulfide Cross-Linking in Counteracting Oxidative Damage to DNA.- Role of Caspase, PARP and Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility.- Methods for the Detection of ROS in Human Sperm Samples.- Direct Methods for the Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species in Human Semen Samples.- ROS and Semen Quality.- Oxidative Stress and Male Infertility-A Clinical Perspective.- Oxidative Stress and Testicular Torsion.- Varicocele and Oxidative Stress.- Recreational Drugs and ROS Production in Mammalian Spermatozoa.- Oxidative Stress, DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Male Infertility.- Effect of Oxidative Stress on ART Outcome.- Oxidative Stress and the Use of Antioxidants for Idiopathic OATs.- Leukocytospermia and Oxidative Stress.- Clinical Consequence of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility.- Oxidative Stress and Infection.- The Role of Obesity in ROS Generation and Male Infertility.- Oxidative Stress in Benign Prostate Hyperplasia.- Role of Oxidative Stress in ED: Unraveling the Molecular Mechanism.