Handbook of Andrology

Contents

PREFACE
B. Robaire and P. Chan

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

FOREWORD
P. Troen

1. What are the components of the male reproductive system?
   CNS, pituitary, testis, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles, scrotum, penis
   K.P. Roberts
2. What is the relationship among the various endocrine components of the male reproductive system?
   Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis, feedback loops
   R. Swerdloff
3. How are communication signals read in the male reproductive system?
   Receptors for gonadotropins and androgens
   I. Huhtaniemi
4. What compounds mediate communication within the testis? Where and how are male-associated hormones produced?
   Integration of the hypothalamus, pituitary and testis
   B.R. Zirkin
5. How is the synthesis of testosterone regulated?
   V. Papadopoulos
6. How are germ cells produced and what factors control their production?
   M. Nagano
7. What unique chromosomal events lead to the formation of a haploid male germ cell?
   M.A. Handel
8. How is the production of spermatozoa regulated?
   Hormonal regulation of spermatogenesis: role of androgens and FSH
   R.I. McLachlan
9. Are there epigenetic events associated with male germ cell formation? What is the role of genomic imprinting in male germ cells?
   Imprinting, DNA methylation
   J.M. Trasler
10. What does the epididymis do and how does it do it?
    B.T. Hinton
11. What is the prostate and what are its functions?
    G.S. Prins
12. How does semen analysis assist in understanding the reproductive status of the male?
    C. Wang
13. How is sperm chromatin structure assessed? What is the value of doing such assessments?
    Range of methods that assess sperm chromatin quality
    B. Robaire
14. What is sperm banking? When and how is it (or should it be) used in humans? Animals?
    Sperm banking, consequences of its use in animal and clinical practice
    S.A. Rothmann
15. How does the sperm make its way to the egg and how does fertilization take place?
    Capacitation, acrosome exocytosis, steps of sperm-egg interaction, egg activation
    J.P. Evans and J.L. Bailey
16. What determines maleness?
    Sex determination, testis formation and the development of the male phenotype
    D.W. Silversides and R.S. Viger
17. Are there specific genetic defects affecting the male reproductive tract? What are the underlying molecular mechanisms?
    Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes, genetic loci, GnRH/LH/FSH, steroid biosynthesis and androgen insensitivity
    T.R. Brown
18. Is there a trigger for puberty in the male? Should early or delayed puberty be treated? If so, how?
    T.M. Plant and S.F. Witchel
19. Clinical male infertility: Epidemiology and basic evaluation
    P. Chan
20. Why evaluate the infertile male in the era of ART?
    Medical and surgical therapies for male infertility
    M. Goldstein
21. What are the assisted reproductive technologies for male infertility?
    Indications for IVF/ICSI/IUI, Surgical sperm retrieval techniques
    P.N. Schlegel
22. Are there genetic factors associated with male infertility?
    D. Lamb
23. How can we assess the health outcomes in ART-conceived children?
    Ethical issues in andrology
    T.J. Walsh and M.S. Croughan
24. How is male-factor subfertility minimized in companion and foodproducing animals?
    R.P. Amann
25. What should I know about artificial insemination (AI) of animals?
    R.P. Amann and D.L. Garner
26. Is there a decline in sperm counts in men?
    R.J. Sherins and G. Delbès
27. How do environmental cues affect male reproductive?
    W.W. Wright
28. What are the effects of environmental toxicants and/or endocrine disruptors on sperm function?
    Chemical exposure effects on the male, reactive oxygen species and spermatozoa
    S.D. Perreault
29. Can spermatozoa be targets for drugs? If so, what are the consequences of such drug exposures? Is there a need for preconception counselling for men?
    Drugs that affect sperm structure or function, male-mediated developmental toxicity, prevention, tests to detect damage to spermatozoa
    B.F. Hales and B. Robaire
30. Can we protect spermatogenesis against testicular insults?
    Male reproductive toxicology
    M.L. Meistrich
31. What male contraceptives currently exist and what is the outlook for new male contraceptives?
    J.K. Amory and W.J. Bremner
32. What are the consequences of sexually transmitted infections on male reproduction?
    F. Ochsendorf
33. What types of testicular cancers occur in men? What is their prognosis? How effective are existing therapeutic approaches?
    N.E. Skakkebaek
34. How do erections occur? How common is erectile dysfunction, what is its etiology, and how do you evaluate men with this problem?
    P.M. Pierorazio and A.L. Burnett
35. How to treat erectile dysfunction?
    M.C. Raynor and W.J.G. Hellstrom
36. Is there an andropause, better known as Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome, and if so, what tissues are affected and how?
    Fertility, androgen production and sensitivity, osteoporosis and sexual function in aging men
    A. Morales
37. Should there be hormone replacement therapy for aging men?
    J.L. Tenover
38. What is the importance of psychosocial issues, counseling and psychotherapy in andrology?
    N. Hunt and S. McHale
39. What is BPH?
    K.T. McVary
40. Are some men more susceptible to prostate cancer than others and why? What are the treatments and their effectiveness? What are the possibilities for improvements in therapy?
    D.J. Parekh and I.M. Thompson
41. What is the risk of testosterone therapy after prostate cancer?
    A. Morgentaler