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Endocrinopathies

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Male Infertility

Abstract

Spermatogenesis depends on an intricate interplay of hormonal factors both centrally and in the testis. Centrally, the hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which acts on the anterior pituitary to cause secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). At the level of the testis, FSH acts on Sertoli cells to induce the maturation process in spermatogonia. LH exerts its effect on Leydig cells, stimulating production of testosterone. Effective spermatogenesis requires local testosterone concentrations to be much higher than serum concentrations. This intratesticular testosterone then acts indirectly to stimulate germ cell maturation through actions on Sertoli cells. Although endocrinopathies only account for a small minority of cases of male infertility, about 1%–2%, the treatment of these conditions offers patients a strategy of directed therapy. Broad classification of endocrinopathies involves two main categories, that is, hormonal deficiency and hormonal excess, with specific hormonal abnormalities falling under each of the above categorizations.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Sam Haywood

  2. Department of Urology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA

    Isaac Lam

  3. Department of Urology, Ochsner Health Systems, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Eric L. Laborde

  4. Department of Urology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Robert Brannigan

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  1. Sam Haywood
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  2. Isaac Lam
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  3. Eric L. Laborde
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  4. Robert Brannigan
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Correspondence to Robert Brannigan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. PUR Clinic, University of Central Florida (UCF), Clermont, FL, USA

    Sijo J. Parekattil

  2. ANDROFERT and State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil

    Sandro C. Esteves

  3. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

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Haywood, S., Lam, I., Laborde, E.L., Brannigan, R. (2020). Endocrinopathies. In: Parekattil, S., Esteves, S., Agarwal, A. (eds) Male Infertility. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32300-4_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32300-4_5

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-32300-4

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