Current Status of Male Fertility Preservation in Humans

Fertility preservation is often needed in assisted reproduction and to preserve fertility of patients of reproductive age with spermatogenic failure, severe oligozoospermia, a history of ejaculatory or collection issues, or for those at risk of iatrogenic sterilization from medical procedures or treatments such as vasectomy, testicular surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This review focuses on the current status of different approaches and technologies in male fertility preservation including cryopreservation of sperm, testicular tissue, and male germline stem cells. The cryobiological characteristics of sperm cells and testicular tissue as well as the mechanisms of cryoinjuries are also discussed.