Male fruit flies' decline in fertility with age is not only driven by changes in sperm
Monday, July 6, 2020 - 08:00
in Biology & Nature
Infertility is one of the most striking effects of aging. The impact of aging on females' fertility is more severe and much better understood, but it also affects males. Male reproductive aging is less researched, but of those studies that do address it, most focus on sperm. However, ejaculate contains more than just sperm. Proteins in the seminal fluid are important for fertility, and in many animals, they have a dramatic effect on female physiology and behavior. Little is currently known about the impact of male aging on these proteins, and whether any changes contribute to poorer ejaculates in older males.