Y chromosome azoospermia factors (AZF) microdeletions in azoospermic men.

Abstract

Background: It becomes now evident that the abnormalities of chromosome Y espicially the microdeletions role the major causes of infertility and a number of studies linked the region Yq11 which contain the AZF factors to azoospermia.

Objectives: The current study was aimed to detect chromosomal abnormalities and Y microdeletions (AZFs deletions) among a number of azoospermic men.

Materials & methods: Five ml from peripheral blood was collected from 25 azoospermic men and four controls (one female and three fertile men) and used for DNA, PCR analysis and cytogenetic examinations in order to detect any kind of microdeletion in the AZF regions.

Results: Six individuals which accounts 24% of the total azoospermic men have a microdeletion in the AZF regions.The cytogenetic analysis revealed morphologically normal Y chromosome in all examined samples.

Conclusions: The microdeletions of the AZF regions cause quantitive loss in spermatogenesis.

Keywards: Infertility,AZF a,b,c , Y chromosome