title: Meiosis I arrest and azoospermia in an infertile male explained by failure of formation of a component of the synaptonemal complex.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the early stages of meiosis in a male with unexplained azoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 30-year-old male with nonobstructive azoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunostaining for components of the synaptonemal complex and recombination-associated proteins, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for specific chromosomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Progression to and through pachytene of meiosis I in controls and in the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed complete meiosis I arrest in the patient, associated with failure of formation of the mature, tripartite synaptonemal complex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormalities in synaptonemal complex formation are responsible for a proportion of cases of unexplained male infertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and The Center for Human Genetics, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors.forename: LuAnn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Judis
authors.forename: Ernest R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seftel
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hassold
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000209:etiology*; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000502:physiology; D013573:Synaptonemal Complex / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C490060:SYCP3 protein, human; C413483:CTDSP1 protein, human; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases