Anatomy

Infertility

Population

Male fertility

Biology

Endocrinology

Spermatogenesis

Andrology

Male infertility

Sertoli cell

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Gynecology

Pregnancy

Scrotum

Fertility

Gonocyte

Genetics

Hormone

Medicine

Environmental health

Basic and Clinical Andrology

Spermatogenesis in mammals is a heat-sensitive developmental pathway incompatible with the typical mammalian body temperature of 37 °C. It is thought that this is the reason why the testicles of most mammalian males are outside of the body cavity, in the scrotum, where they function at approximately 33 °C. It has been suggested that the abnormally high temperature environment of cryptorchid testes may lead to impaired testicular development and adult infertility. Here, I summarize the clinical, genetic, and histological evidence that argues against temperature stress and in favor of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism as the underlying cause of adult infertility in cryptorchidism. Patient summary: Infertility and an increased risk of testicular cancer in patients diagnosed with undescended testes are the consequence of a hormonal deficiency rather than temperature-induced cellular damage. Cryptorchidism therefore requires both surgical and hormonal treatment.

Temperature is not a major factor in the differentiation of gonocytes into ad spermatogonia and fertility outcome in congenitally cryptorchid boys