Book Review

The Sperm Cell: Production, Maturation, Fertilization, Regeneration

N Engl J Med 2007; 356:2011-2012May 10, 2007

Article

The Sperm Cell: Production, Maturation, Fertilization, Regeneration
Edited by Christopher De Jonge and Christopher Barratt. 359 pp., illustrated. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006. $120. ISBN: 978-0-521-85397-2

In 1992, the announcement that pregnancies had been achieved after intracytoplasmic injection of a single sperm into an oocyte sent shock waves through the andrology community. Was the male gamete's role in reproduction now merely to contribute chromosomes? Was there any benefit to the clinical investigation of male infertility? Leaders in the field of andrology, including the editors of and several contributors to The Sperm Cell, argued that intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was simply a tool to assist fertilization for men with unexplained or undiagnosed subfertility and would not replace the need to further our understanding of sperm function. Indeed, the abundance of recent publications on sperm production, maturation, and function that are cited in The Sperm Cell proves that there is still a significant effort to understand sperm function and the implications of assisting procreation when sperm function or production is impaired.

Although the book's emphasis is on human sperm, most of the chapters are supplemented with a balance of data on nonhuman sperm, particularly when knowledge of human sperm is lacking. The book begins with a detailed description of spermatogenesis and sperm structure, including several nicely reproduced transmission electron micrographs of spermatogenesis, mature sperm ultrastructure, and changes in sperm membrane during fertilization. The process of sperm maturation in the reproductive tract, control of sperm motility, regulation of capacitation, and the effects of oxidative stress on sperm function are thoroughly reviewed. A large portion of this book is dedicated to the sperm genome. This extensive discussion is needed to provide a comprehensive review of the work done and the progress made during the past decade to improve our understanding of the role genes play in spermatogenesis, the genetic causes of male infertility, the epigenetic reprogramming of the genome during gametogenesis, and the consequences of altered DNA methylation patterns.

Light-Microscopical View of Human Sperm Cells, Showing a High Sperm Count.

Readers might be jarred by the seemingly outdated chapter on clinical tests of sperm function, but this chapter appropriately brings attention to the gap between what has been learned in the basic science laboratory and the current clinical assessment of sperm production and function. The authors emphasize that although in vitro fertilization with ICSI can be used to circumvent deficiencies in sperm production and function, a more extensive evaluation of sperm function could ultimately lead to “the development of simpler, safer, more cost-efficient and universally applicable therapies [for infertility].” The final chapter gives us a glimpse of what the future may hold for the investigation of genetic causes of infertility. It includes a fascinating description of the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to the germ cell lineage, a system that could be used for the study of human germ-cell formation and early differentiation.

The editors are to be congratulated on recruiting the outstanding list of contributors, many of whom are today's most active and productive investigators in their assigned topics. The chapters are well organized, are clearly written, and include comprehensive lists of references. The figures are clear, easy to read, and supported by well-written and complete legends. The color plates in the middle of the book are very helpful. I wish a book like this had been available to me when I was in graduate school. This long-awaited book is a good investment for scientists and clinicians who need to stay abreast of advancements in andrology and for students who aspire to join this rapidly changing field.

Amy E.T. Sparks, Ph.D.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242
amy-sparks@uiowa.edu