Contemporary aspects of male gamete (dys)function: Aiming towards optimizing the treatment of fertilization disorders

摘要

At its inception, in vitro fertilization (IVF) was a relatively straightforward procedure encompassing the in vitro insemination of surgically retrieved oocytes and the trans-cervical uterine placement of the ensuing embryos with the goal of overcoming tubal infertility. Since that time, IVF has become the ultimate treatment modality for all infertility indications when standard treatments have failed. While IVF has revolutionized our clinical armamentarium, it has also served as a remarkable scientific tool allowing direct visualization of male and female gamete interaction and assessment of human embryo development, thus enabling reproductive specialists to dissect and better understand the early human reproductive processes.