AZF (Azoospermia Factor) is a genetic factor located on the Y chromosome that causes male infertility. Deletions (loss of genetic material) in the AZF region can disrupt spermatogenesis (sperm production) and lead to problems such as azoospermia (absence of sperm cells in the semen) or severe oligozoospermia (very few sperm cells).
Structure of the AZF region: The AZF region is located on the long arm of the Y chromosome (Yq) and consists of three subregions: AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc. Deletion of each region can cause different spermatogenesis problems.
AZF deletions and their effects:
AZFa deletion: Causes serious problems in the early stages of spermatogenesis and usually results in complete azoospermia.
AZFb deletion: Causes problems in the middle stages of spermatogenesis and usually results in a severe decrease in sperm production. In this case, complete azoospermia can also occur.
AZFc deletion: Causes problems in the final stages of spermatogenesis and can have more varied results. In some cases, a low number of sperm cells (oligozoospermia) or the presence of even a small number of sperm cells is possible.
