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This Viewpoint, which is the first of three articles discussing gene therapy for the treatment of male infertility, considers the feasibility of the approach. Boekelheide and Sigman initially describe the genetic causes of male infertility, and go on to discuss gene therapy approaches, and possible future directions.
The second Viewpoint in the series of articles on gene therapy for male infertility evaluates safety aspects. Lamb describes the ideal vector for DNA transfection, and draws on data from previous studies to describe the safety of various vectors under investigation.
This article on the ethics of gene therapy for male infertility is the third Viewpoint in the article series. Sheehan addresses issues such as 'playing God', patient consent for gene therapy trials, eugenics, and the distribution of medical resources.
Bacterial biofilms are common in patients with indwelling urinary catheters, and crystalline biofilms in particular can cause serious complications. In this Review, Stickler describes the biological, physical and chemical factors that can lead to crystalline biofilm formation, and the current and potential future management of crystalline biofilms.
Androgen receptor activation and signaling have a key role in the pathogenesis of castration-resistant prostate cancer. In this Review, Reid and colleagues assess the possible therapeutic strategy of inhibiting androgen biosynthesis by blocking the function of the enzyme CYP17.
Stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine promise to revolutionize the treatment of many urological disorders. Here, Aboushwareb and Atala review the techniques used to generate stem cells for therapeutic applications, and discuss their potential for reconstructing the urinary tract, treating urinary incontinence, understanding prostate dysfunction and restoring fertility.
This Case Study describes a 14-year-old girl with continuous urinary incontinence after resection of a vaginal septum associated with uterus didelphys. The authors discuss the diagnostic procedures undertaken, and show that MRI was effective, both preoperatively and intraoperatively, in detecting an ectopic ureter and ectopic dysplastic kidney.
