Purpose Advancing maternal and paternal age leads to a decrease in fertility, and hence,
many infertile couples opt for assisted reproductive technologies [ART] to achieve biological …

BACKGROUND The three azoospermia factor (AZF) regions of the Y chromosome represent
genomic niches for spermatogenesis genes. Yet, the most distal region, AZFc, is a major …

BACKGROUND Successful gametogenesis requires the establishment of an appropriate
epigenetic state in developing germ cells. Nevertheless, an association between abnormal …

Deletions within the male-specific region of the Y-chromosome, known as Y-Chromosome
Microdeletions (YCMs), are present in as many as 5% and 10% of severe oligospermic and …

The azoospermia factor (AZF) regions consist of three genetic domains in the long arm of the
human Y chromosome referred to as AZFa, AZFb and AZFc. These are of importance for …

We analyzed the AZFc region of the Y-chromosome for complete (b2/b4) and distinct partial
deletions (gr/gr, b1/b3, b2/b3) in 822 infertile and 225 proven fertile men. We observed …

The role of partial AZFc deletions of the Y chromosome in spermatogenic impairment is
currently debated. Recently, it was also reported that duplications of the same region are …

BACKGROUND The impact of gr/gr deletions on male fertility is unclear. These partial
deletions of the AZFc region of the Y chromosome have been detected more frequently in …

Abstract Genomic AZFb deletions in Yq11 coined “classical”(ie length of Y DNA deletion:
6.23 Mb) are associated with meiotic arrest (MA) of patient spermatogenesis, ie, absence of …

Multi-copied gene families are prevalent in mammalian genomes, especially within the Y
chromosome. Testis specific protein Y-encoded (TSPY) is present in variable copy number …