IMR Press / FBS / Volume 5 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.2741/S365

Frontiers in Bioscience-Scholar (FBS) is published by IMR Press from Volume 13 Issue 1 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Review
Aging and male reproductive function: a mitochondrial perspective
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1 CNC Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
2 Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal
Front. Biosci. (Schol Ed) 2013, 5(1), 181–197; https://doi.org/10.2741/S365
Published: 1 January 2013
Abstract

Researching the effects of aging in the male reproductive system is not trivial. Not only are multiple changes at molecular, cellular and endocrine levels involved, but any findings must be discussed with variable individual characteristics, as well as with lifestyle and environmental factors. Age-related changes in the reproductive system include any aspect of reproductive function, from deregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary- gonadal axis and of local auto/paracrine interactions, to effects on testicular stem cells, defects in testicular architecture and spermatogenesis, or sperm with decreased functionality. Several theories place mitochondria at the hub of cellular events related to aging, namely regarding the accumulation of oxidative damage to cells and tissues, a process in which these organelles play a prominent role, although alternative theories have also emerged. However, oxidative stress is not the only process involved in mitochondrial-related aging; mitochondrial energy metabolism, changes in mitochondrial DNA or in mitochondrial-dependent testosterone production are also important. Crucially, all these issues are likely interdependent. We will review evidence that suggests that mitochondria constitute a common link between aging and fertility loss.

Keywords
Age
Mitochondria
Oxidative stress
Male reproductive function
Infertility
Review
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