Despite the increasing number of andrological pub­ opment of basic and clinical research in andrology, lications, the diagnostic aspects of andrology have to analyze modern techniques for the evaluation of received relatively little attention. In the last decade male infertility, to stimulate the development of substantial progress has been made in the under­ guideliness for therapeutic procedures, to recom­ standing of the fundamentals of andrology, this ment common norms of measurement, to promote progress resulting from modern techniques and and interchange of information and to stimulate the instrumentation in microanatomy, immunology, interest of scientists and clinicians in andrological neurophysiology, pathology, genetics, endocrino­ problems. logy, biochemistry, biophysics, urology and sur­ We are grateful to the authors who have given so gery. These studies are scattered in such a wide much of their time and talents to produce chapters spectrum of journals that andrologists can hardly of depth and breadth and who have made such a keep abreast of the advances. There have been significant contribution to the andrological litera­ textbooks on the testes, male accessory organs and ture. We are also indebted to Morag M. Smith, Lori semen but none that have attempted to bring Rust and Penny Stoops for the time and patience together the various aspects of diagnosis.