- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- 13.1 Principles of hormone action
- 13.2 Pituitary disorders
- 13.3 Thyroid disorders
- 13.4 Parathyroid disorders and diseases altering calcium metabolism
- 13.5 Adrenal disorders
- 13.6 Reproductive disorders
- 13.6.1 Ovarian disorders
- 13.6.2 Disorders of male reproduction and male hypogonadism
- 13.6.3 Benign breast disease
- 13.6.4 Sexual dysfunction
- 13.7 Disorders of growth and development
- 13.8 Pancreatic endocrine disorders and multiple endocrine neoplasia
- 13.9 Diabetes and hypoglycaemia
- 13.10 Hormonal manifestations of nonendocrine disease
- 13.11 The pineal gland and melatonin
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine
Disorders of male reproduction and male hypogonadism
- Chapter:
- Disorders of male reproduction and male hypogonadism
- Author(s):
P.-M.G. Bouloux
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0252
The adult testis performs two principle functions: the synthesis and secretion of androgens, and the production of male germ cells, the spermatozoa. Testosterone is essential for male sexual differentiation, growth, and function of the male genital tract, secondary sexual characteristics, sexual potency, and production of spermatozoa. Hypogonadism may be due to disorders of the pituitary/hypothalamus (secondary or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) or testes (primary or hypergonadotropic hypogonadism). Its symptoms and signs depend on the age of onset of androgen deficiency. Prepubertal presentation is with sexual infantilism, delayed puberty, and eunuchoidal body proportions. Male infertility may affect 5% of men of reproductive age and is caused by a heterogeneous group of disorders. The commonest cause (60% of cases) is ‘idiopathic’ azoo/oligozoospermia, although many cases are now recognized as due to discrete gene defects associated with impaired spermatogenesis. Other causes include cryptorchidism, testicular tumours, genital tract infection, obstructive azoospermia, and sperm autoimmunity.
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- Section 1 Patients and their treatment
- Section 2 Background to medicine
- Section 3 Cell biology
- Section 4 Immunological mechanisms
- Section 5 Principles of clinical oncology
- Section 6 Old age medicine
- Section 7 Pain and palliative care
- Section 8 Infectious diseases
- Section 9 Sexually transmitted diseases
- Section 10 Environmental medicine, occupational medicine, and poisoning
- Section 11 Nutrition
- Section 12 Metabolic disorders
- Section 13 Endocrine disorders
- 13.1 Principles of hormone action
- 13.2 Pituitary disorders
- 13.3 Thyroid disorders
- 13.4 Parathyroid disorders and diseases altering calcium metabolism
- 13.5 Adrenal disorders
- 13.6 Reproductive disorders
- 13.6.1 Ovarian disorders
- 13.6.2 Disorders of male reproduction and male hypogonadism
- 13.6.3 Benign breast disease
- 13.6.4 Sexual dysfunction
- 13.7 Disorders of growth and development
- 13.8 Pancreatic endocrine disorders and multiple endocrine neoplasia
- 13.9 Diabetes and hypoglycaemia
- 13.10 Hormonal manifestations of nonendocrine disease
- 13.11 The pineal gland and melatonin
- Section 14 Medical disorders in pregnancy
- Section 15 Gastroenterological disorders
- Section 16 Cardiovascular disorders
- Section 17 Critical care medicine
- Section 18 Respiratory disorders
- Section 19 Rheumatological disorders
- Section 20 Disorders of the skeleton
- Section 21 Disorders of the kidney and urinary tract
- Section 22 Haematological disorders
- Section 23 Disorders of the skin
- Section 24 Neurological disorders
- Section 25 Disorders of the eye
- Section 26 Psychiatric and drug-related disorders
- Section 27 Forensic medicine
- Section 28 Sport and exercise medicine
- Section 29 Biochemistry in medicine
- Section 30 Acute medicine