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Review
. 2022 Jan 5:8:799294.
doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.799294. eCollection 2021.

The Impact of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility

Amanda Mannucci  1 , Flavia Rita Argento  1 , Eleonora Fini  1 , Maria Elisabetta Coccia  2 , Niccolò Taddei  1 , Matteo Becatti  1 , Claudia Fiorillo  1
Affiliations
Review

The Impact of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility

Amanda Mannucci et al. Front Mol Biosci. .

Abstract

At present infertility is affecting about 15% of couples and male factor is responsible for almost 50% of infertility cases. Oxidative stress, due to enhanced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and/or decreased antioxidants, has been repeatedly suggested as a new emerging causative factor of this condition. However, the central roles exerted by ROS in sperm physiology cannot be neglected. On these bases, the present review is focused on illustrating both the role of ROS in male infertility and their main sources of production. Oxidative stress assessment, the clinical use of redox biomarkers and the treatment of oxidative stress-related male infertility are also discussed.

Keywords: ROS; male infertility; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; semen parameters; spermatozoa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Oxidative stress negatively affects sperm cells causing mitochondrial injury and alterations in lipids, nucleic acids and proteins.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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