What is the fate of the Y chromosome and male fertility?
Of some concern is the future of the human Y chromosome vis-à-vis deletion of the AZFc region and its resultant detrimental impact on spermatogenesis (Kremer et al., 1998). Mathematical models based upon our current success rates with, and utilization of, ICSI do not predict a substantial increase in male infertility through transgenerational passage of genetically based defects in spermatogenesis, but do show a dramatic increase in male infertility in future generations if ICSI becomes more widely employed and the outcomes are improved (Faddy et al., 2001). Therefore, this is an issue which will need be watched carefully in the future. In conclusion, 42 infertile men who have a Y-chromosomal microdeletion limited to the AZFc region are fully characterized in this report. The de-novo AZFc region microdeletion is the proximate cause of their spermatogenic deficiency. These men are phenotypically normal. The genes in this region do not appear to play a role in general physiological proce
