Apoptosis in Ejaculated Spermatozoa and in the Normal and Pathological Testes: Abortive Apoptosis and Sperm Chromatin Damage

Abstract

Apoptosis refers to a morphologically distinct form of cell death that plays a major role during the normal development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. This mode of cell death is a tightly regulated series of energy-dependent molecular and biochemical events orchestrated by a genetic program. Apoptosis is either developmentally regulated or induced in response to cell injury or stress. Maintaining the homeostatic relationship between apoptosis and cell proliferation is important for tissue development and degeneration. Decreased apoptosis may lead to neoplasia, whereas increased apoptosis may lead to a dystrophic condition. Apoptosis is however very different in the testis.