title: The search is on: finding accurate molecular markers of male fertility.
abstract: Diagnosis of the fertility potential of a semen sample is essential for consistently high reproductive efficiency. The use of subfertile or infertile semen can have devastating consequences for those selling or using the semen. Therefore it is crucial to develop and use accurate diagnostic tests to determine the fertility of males and of individual semen samples. These diagnostic tests must be economically practical and provide consistent results. The goal of this review is to explore areas of fertility diagnostic research, including what we have termed functional and molecular tests, and consider the accuracy of each test. In this article, literature from several species is cited, and it is noteworthy that each diagnostic test may not be valuable in all species. Multiple functional and molecular tests will likely be needed to effectively characterize male fertility in each species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 61801, USA.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Braundmeier
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D005303:Fertility Agents, Male / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000502:physiology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D011200:Poultry / Q000502:physiology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005303:Fertility Agents, Male; D005819:Genetic Markers