Many of the studies discussed in this book were addition to discussions of a variety of hormonal, presented at the First Pan American Congress of biochemical, immunological, physical, and me­ Andrology, which was held in Caracas, Venezuela, chanical approaches. It is our hope that the efforts in March 1979. An international group of in­ of the contributors will help to intensify research vestigators have contributed reviews designed to and development of improved methods for safely be informative to medical, graduate, and post­ regulating male fertility. graduate students, as well as clinicians and in­ vestigators working in the area of male reproduc­ G. R. CUNNINGHAM tion. Current physiological concepts that may W. B. SCHILL provide insight for new initiatives are examined in E. S. E. HAFEZ TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface v Contributors IX Foreword by C. SCHIRREN XI 1. PHYSIOLOGY OF MALE REPRODUCTION 1. Hormonal regulation of testicular function 5 P. FRANCHIMONT 2. Inhibin: new gonadal hormone 15 P. FRANCHIMONT, A. DEMOULIN, J. VERSTRAELEN-PROYARD, M. T. HAZEE-HAGELSTEIN, and J. P. BOURGUIGNON 3. Morphological features of the epididymis: possible significance in male contraception 25 T. D. GLOVER 4. Regulatory physiology of male accessory organs 35 E. S. E. HAFEZ and G. R. CUNNINGHAM 5. Methods for evaluating contraceptive techniques 41 T. Z. HOMONNAI and F. G. PAZ II. HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION 6. Inhibition of male reproductive processes with an LH-RH agonist 55 A. CORBIN and F. J. BEX 7.