A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia

One major challenge in male factor infertility is nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is characterized by spermatozoa-deficient semen without physical duct blockage. This review offers a thorough overview of the histopathology of the testes in NOA cases, clarifying its complex etiology and empha...

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Main Authors: Taymour Mostafa, Kadir Bocu, Vineet Malhotra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-05-01
Series:Asian Journal of Andrology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202454
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author Taymour Mostafa
Kadir Bocu
Vineet Malhotra
author_facet Taymour Mostafa
Kadir Bocu
Vineet Malhotra
author_sort Taymour Mostafa
collection DOAJ
description One major challenge in male factor infertility is nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is characterized by spermatozoa-deficient semen without physical duct blockage. This review offers a thorough overview of the histopathology of the testes in NOA cases, clarifying its complex etiology and emphasizing the possible value of histopathology inspection for both diagnosis and treatment. Variable histopathological findings have been linked to NOA, such as tubular hyalinization, Sertoli cell-only syndrome, hypospermatogenesis, and germ cell arrest. Understanding the pathophysiology and forecasting the effectiveness of treatment are further enhanced by both morphometric and ultrastructural analyses. The potential significance of testicular biopsy in forecasting reproductive outcomes is assessed, especially concerning assisted reproductive technologies like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Besides, testicular microlithiasis, serum hormone profiles, and testicular size are investigated concerning NOA histopathology. It is concluded that understanding the histopathological patterns in NOA is crucial for its accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Further research is still warranted to improve understanding of the complex pathophysiology underlying NOA.
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spelling doaj-art-ff2f00d5beec49cf8569c68a33cd93392025-08-20T03:07:40ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAsian Journal of Andrology1008-682X1745-72622025-05-0127337037410.4103/aja202454A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermiaTaymour MostafaKadir BocuVineet MalhotraOne major challenge in male factor infertility is nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is characterized by spermatozoa-deficient semen without physical duct blockage. This review offers a thorough overview of the histopathology of the testes in NOA cases, clarifying its complex etiology and emphasizing the possible value of histopathology inspection for both diagnosis and treatment. Variable histopathological findings have been linked to NOA, such as tubular hyalinization, Sertoli cell-only syndrome, hypospermatogenesis, and germ cell arrest. Understanding the pathophysiology and forecasting the effectiveness of treatment are further enhanced by both morphometric and ultrastructural analyses. The potential significance of testicular biopsy in forecasting reproductive outcomes is assessed, especially concerning assisted reproductive technologies like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Besides, testicular microlithiasis, serum hormone profiles, and testicular size are investigated concerning NOA histopathology. It is concluded that understanding the histopathological patterns in NOA is crucial for its accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Further research is still warranted to improve understanding of the complex pathophysiology underlying NOA.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202454azoospermiahistopathologymale infertilitynonobstructive azoospermiasemen
spellingShingle Taymour Mostafa
Kadir Bocu
Vineet Malhotra
A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
Asian Journal of Andrology
azoospermia
histopathology
male infertility
nonobstructive azoospermia
semen
title A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
title_full A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
title_fullStr A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
title_full_unstemmed A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
title_short A review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
title_sort review of testicular histopathology in nonobstructive azoospermia
topic azoospermia
histopathology
male infertility
nonobstructive azoospermia
semen
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202454
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AT taymourmostafa reviewoftesticularhistopathologyinnonobstructiveazoospermia
AT kadirbocu reviewoftesticularhistopathologyinnonobstructiveazoospermia
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