Disease gene discovery in male infertility: past, present and future
Open Access
- 7 July 2020
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Human Genetics
- Vol. 140 (1), 7-19
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-020-02202-x
Abstract
Identifying the genes causing male infertility is important to increase our biological understanding as well as the diagnostic yield and clinical relevance of genetic testing in this disorder. While significant progress has been made in some areas, mainly in our knowledge of the genes underlying rare qualitative sperm defects, the same cannot be said for the genetics of quantitative sperm defects. Technological advances and approaches in genomics are critical for the process of disease gene identification. In this review we highlight the impact of various technological developments on male infertility gene discovery as well as functional validation, going from the past to the present and the future. In particular, we draw attention to the use of unbiased genomics approaches, the development of increasingly relevant functional assays and the importance of large-scale international collaboration to advance disease gene identification in male infertility.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD078641)
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (918-15-667)
- Wellcome Trust (209451)
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