Male Infertility: From Genes to Genomes

Dear Colleagues,

Infertility is defined according to the WHO as the inability to conceive after at least 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. It is an alarming global health issue, as it is estimated that 8–12% of couples of reproductive age suffer from infertility. The male factor interestingly contributes to 50% of all cases.

Male infertility is a complex disorder affected by an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. A large proportion of male infertility cases are also idiopathic. Semen analysis remains the cornerstone for its diagnosis, but today, in the era of genomics, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, such as whole-exome and genome sequencing, offer the opportunity to simultaneously study numerous genes and identify new biomarkers. Additionally, it is estimated that approximately 10% of the human genome is involved in reproduction. Discoveries on the role of small RNAs and microRNAs in the spermatogenesis process are promising for the understanding of the mechanisms behind male infertility, too.

Thus, this Special Issue of Genes, entitled “Male Infertility: From Genes to Genomes”, aims to contribute to the identification of new genetic variants and genetic risk alleles associated with male infertility as well as to provide readers with updated information regarding recent advances in the field. In this regard, original research articles and reviews are both welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zissis Mamuris
Guest Editor
Maria-Anna Kyrgiafini
Guest Editor Assistant

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• male infertility
• biomarkers
• semen analysis
• spermatogenesis
• genetic variants
• next-generation sequencing (NGS)