# Topics and Trends in Most Cited Sperm and Testicular Function Papers, Class of 2026

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/sperm-and-testicular-function/2026*

## What topics and trends defined most-cited Sperm and Testicular Function research in the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 for Sperm and Testicular Function highlights the dominant role of oxidative stress and related biomarkers like Malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species. While traditional themes such as apoptosis saw a relative decline, we observed rapid emergence in areas including endocrine disruption, Leydig cell function, and testicular aging.

## At a glance

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Field | Sperm and Testicular Function |
| Cohort label | Class of 2026 (2024 publications) |
| Papers analyzed | 4,732 |
| Papers ranked | 20 |
| Top topics in ranked papers | Oxidative stress, Malondialdehyde, Reactive oxygen species, Superoxide dismutase |
| Publication window | Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Eligibility | Research articles; reviews excluded |
| Citation window | 18 months post-publication |
| 18m citation range | 20–136 |
| Data source | OpenAlex · Retrieved July 2026 |
| License | CC BY 4.0 |

## Rankings

| Rank | Title | Authors | Corresponding authors | Affiliation | Journal | 18m citations | DOI |
| ---: | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---: | --- |
| 1 | Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis | Chelin Jamie Hu, Marcus A Garcia, Alexander Nihart, Rui Liu, Lei Yin, Natalie Adolphi, Daniel F Gallego, Huining Kang, Matthew J Campen, Xiaozhong Yu | Xiaozhong Yu | University of New Mexico, United States | Toxicological Sciences | 136 | 10.1093/toxsci/kfae060 |
| 2 | A 20-year overview of fertility preservation in boys: new insights gained through a comprehensive international survey | Kathleen Duffin, Nina Neuhaus, Claus Yding Andersen, Virginie Barraud-Lange, Aude Braye, Cristina Eguizabal, Aurélie Feraille, Jill P Ginsberg, Debra Gook, Ellen Goossens, Kirsi Jahnukainen, Yasmin Jayasinghe, Victoria Keros, Sabine Kliesch, Sheila Lane, Callista L Mulder, Kyle E Orwig, Ans M M van Pelt, Catherine Poirot, Michael P Rimmer, Nathalie Rives, Hooman Sadri-Ardekani, Myriam Safrai, Stefan Schlatt, Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Marianne D van de Wetering, Christine Wyns, Rod T Mitchell | Rod T. Mitchell | University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom | Human Reproduction Open | 31 | 10.1093/hropen/hoae010 |
| 3 | Intracytoplasmic sperm injection versus conventional in-vitro fertilisation for couples with infertility with non-severe male factor: a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial | Yuanyuan Wang, Rong Li, Rui Yang, Danni Zheng, Lin Zeng, Ying Lian, Yimin Zhu, Junli Zhao, Xiaoyan Liang, Wen Li, Jianqiao Liu, Li Tang, Yunxia Cao, Guimin Hao, Huichun Wang, Hua Zhang, Rui Wang, Ben W Mol, Hefeng Huang, Jie Qiao | Hefeng Huang, Jie Qiao | Peking University Third Hospital, China | The Lancet | 30 | 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)02416-9 |
| 4 | Signatures of metabolic diseases on spermatogenesis and testicular metabolism | David F Carrageta, Sara C Pereira, Rita Ferreira, Mariana P Monteiro, Pedro F Oliveira, Marco G Alves | Marco G. Alves | University of Porto, Portugal | Nature Reviews Urology | 26 | 10.1038/s41585-024-00866-y |
| 5 | Immunoregulation and male reproductive function: Impacts and mechanistic insights into inflammation | Yingjie Ma, Xinru Yu, Yi Fan Liu, Bihan Song, Zhengao Sun, Shengtian Zhao | Zhen‐Gao Sun, Shengtian Zhao | Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China | Andrology | 26 | 10.1111/andr.13772 |
| 6 | Epididymal acquired sperm microRNAs modify post-fertilization embryonic gene expression | Natalie A Trigg, Colin C Conine | Colin C. Conine | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States | Cell Reports | 25 | 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114698 |
| 7 | Toward clinical exomes in diagnostics and management of male infertility | Kristiina Lillepea, Anna-Grete Juchnewitsch, Laura Kasak, Anu Valkna, Avirup Dutta, Kristjan Pomm, Olev Poolamets, Liina Nagirnaja, Erik Tamp, Eisa Mahyari, Vladimir Vihljajev, Stanislav Tjagur, Sofia Papadimitriou, Antoni Riera-Escamilla, Nassim Versbraegen, Ginevra Farnetani, Helen Castillo-Madeen, Mailis Sütt, Viljo Kübarsepp, Sven Tennisberg, Paul Korrovits, Csilla Krausz, Kenneth I Aston, Tom Lenaerts, Donald F Conrad, Margus Punab, Maris Laan | Margus Punab, Maris Laan | University of Tartu, Estonia | The American Journal of Human Genetics | 24 | 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.03.013 |
| 8 | Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals transcriptomic landscape and potential targets for human testicular ageing | Kai Xia, Peng Luo, Jiajie Yu, Siyuan He, Lin Dong, Feng Gao, Xuren Chen, Yunlin Ye, Yong Gao, Yuanchen Ma, Cuifeng Yang, Yadong Zhang, Qiyun Yang, Dayu Han, Xin Feng, Zi Wan, Hongcai Cai, Qiong Ke, Tao Wang, Weiqiang Li, Xiang'an Tu, Xiangzhou Sun, Chunhua Deng, Andy Peng Xiang | Chunhua Deng, Andy Peng Xiang | Sun Yat-Sen University, China | Human Reproduction | 23 | 10.1093/humrep/deae199 |
| 9 | DEHP-mediated oxidative stress leads to impaired testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells through the cAMP/PKA/SF-1/StAR pathway | Luchen Yang, Shengzhuo Liu, Pan Song, Zhenghuan Liu, Zhufeng Peng, Depei Kong, Jing Zhou, Xin Yan, Kai Ma, Yunfei Yu, Xiaoyang Liu, Qiang Dong | Qiang Dong | Sichuan University, China | Environmental Pollution | 23 | 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125503 |
| 10 | Unravelling the epigenetic impact: Oxidative stress and its role in male infertility-associated sperm dysfunction | Gokul Sudhakaran, D Kesavan, Karthikeyan Kandaswamy, Ajay Guru, Jesu Arockiaraj | Ajay Guru, Jesu Arockiaraj | SRM Institute of Science and Technology, India | Reproductive Toxicology | 22 | 10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108531 |
| 11 | Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters | Vadim Osadchiy, Andre Belarmino, Reza Kianian, John T Sigalos, Jacob S Ancira, Trisha Kanie, Sarah F Mangum, Craig D Tipton, Tung-Chin M Hsieh, Jesse N Mills, Sriram V Eleswarapu | Sriram V. Eleswarapu | University of California, United States | Scientific Reports | 22 | 10.1038/s41598-024-51686-4 |
| 12 | Melatonin alleviates heat stress-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction in male dairy goats by regulating arachidonic acid metabolism mediated by remodeling the gut microbiota | Xinrui Guo, Jing Xu, Yongkang Zhao, Jie Wang, Tingshu Fu, Mathias L Richard, Harry Sokol, Miao Wang, Yu Li, Yang Liu, Hui Wang, Chenlei Wang, Xueqin Wang, Haiyang He, Yazhou Wang, Baohua Ma, Sha Peng | Yazhou Wang, Baohua Ma, Sha Peng | Northwest A&F University, China | Microbiome | 22 | 10.1186/s40168-024-01942-6 |
| 13 | Damage to Mitochondria During the Cryopreservation, Causing <scp>ROS</scp> Leakage, Leading to Oxidative Stress and Decreased Quality of Ram Sperm | Liuming Zhang, Yuxuan Sun, Caiyu Jiang, Tariq Sohail, Xiaomei Sun, Jian Wang, Yongjun Li | Jian Wang, Yongjun Li | Yangzhou University, China | Reproduction in Domestic Animals | 22 | 10.1111/rda.14737 |
| 14 | Pathogenesis of testicular dysfunction in diabetes: exploring the mechanism and therapeutic interventions | Olabimpe Caroline Badejogbin, Ojichukwuka Ebere Chijioke-Agu, Makinde Vincent Olubiyi, Mary Olaoluwa Agunloye | Mary Olaoluwa Agunloye | Babcock University, Nigeria | Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics | 22 | 10.1007/s10815-024-03314-3 |
| 15 | Small noncoding RNAs and sperm nuclear basic proteins reflect the environmental impact on germ cells | Giulio Ferrero, Rosaria Festa, Laura Follia, Gennaro Lettieri, Sonia Tarallo, Tiziana Notari, Antonella Giarra, Carmela Marinaro, Barbara Pardini, Alessandra Marano, Giulia Piaggeschi, Carla Di Battista, Marco Trifuoggi, Marina Piscopo, Luigi Montano, Alessio Naccarati | Luigi Montano | University of Turin, Italy | Molecular Medicine | 21 | 10.1186/s10020-023-00776-6 |
| 16 | Genetic etiological spectrum of sperm morphological abnormalities | Manvi Arora, Poonam Mehta, Shruti Sethi, George Anifandis, Mary Samara, Rajender Singh | Singh Rajender | CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, India | Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics | 21 | 10.1007/s10815-024-03274-8 |
| 17 | Proanthocyanidin alleviates testicular torsion/detorsion-induced ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats | Filiz Kazak, Gokhan Akcakavak, Ibrahim Alakus, Halil Alakus, Omer Kirgiz, Ozhan Karatas, Mehmet Zeki Yilmaz Deveci, Pınar Coskun | Gökhan Akçakavak | Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Turkey | Tissue and Cell | 21 | 10.1016/j.tice.2024.102459 |
| 18 | Stem Leydig cells support macrophage immunological homeostasis through mitochondrial transfer in mice | Ani Chi, Bicheng Yang, Hao Dai, Xinyu Li, Jiahui Mo, Yong Gao, Zhihong Chen, Xin Feng, Menghui Ma, Yanqing Li, Chao Yang, Jie Liu, Hanchao Liu, Zhenqing Wang, Feng Gao, Yan Liao, Xuetao Shi, Chunhua Deng, Min Zhang | Xuetao Shi, Chunhua Deng, Min Zhang | Sun Yat-sen University, China | Nature Communications | 20 | 10.1038/s41467-024-46190-2 |
| 19 | Multiple ageing effects on testicular/epididymal germ cells lead to decreased male fertility in mice | Tsutomu Endo, Kiyonori Kobayashi, Takafumi Matsumura, Chihiro Emori, Manabu Ozawa, Shimpei Kawamoto, Daisuke Okuzaki, Keisuke Shimada, Haruhiko Miyata, Kentaro Shimada, Mayo Kodani, Yu Ishikawa-Yamauchi, Daisuke Motooka, Eiji Hara, Masahito Ikawa | Tsutomu Endo, Masahito Ikawa | Osaka University, Japan | Communications Biology | 20 | 10.1038/s42003-023-05685-2 |
| 20 | Bi-allelic variants in <i>DNAH3</i> cause male infertility with asthenoteratozoospermia in humans and mice | Gui-Quan Meng, Yaling Wang, Chen Luo, Yu-Mei Tan, Yong Li, Chen Tan, Chaofeng Tu, Qian-Jun Zhang, Liang Hu, Huan Zhang, Lan-Lan Meng, Chun-Yu Liu, Leiyu Deng, Guang-Xiu Lu, Ge Lin, Juan Du, Yue-Qiu Tan, Yanwei Sha, Lingbo Wang, Wen-Bin He | Yanwei Sha, Lingbo Wang, Wenbin He | Hunan Guangxiu Hospital, China | Human Reproduction Open | 20 | 10.1093/hropen/hoae003 |

## Topic trends

### What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

In the 2024 cohort for Sperm and Testicular Function (Class of 2026), oxidative stress and its associated biochemical markers dominate the research landscape. A prominent cluster of highly cited papers focuses heavily on biomarkers like Malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), reflecting an intense, ongoing effort to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying male infertility and reproductive toxicity.

The strong presence of these themes indicates that oxidative damage remains a central paradigm in evaluating sperm quality and testicular health. Alongside oxidative stress, testosterone regulation continues to be a foundational concept. This concentration of research highlights that mitigating cellular damage and preserving hormonal balance are the primary therapeutic and diagnostic targets for researchers in this field. The dominance of these well-established biomarkers suggests a maturation in the field, where researchers are increasingly refining diagnostic thresholds and exploring targeted interventions to combat oxidative damage in reproductive tissues.

*Leading research themes*

### How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reveals significant shifts in research priorities within Sperm and Testicular Function. The most notable trend is the rapid emergence of topics such as endocrine disruption, Leydig cell biology, and testicular aging. These fast-rising concepts indicate a growing focus on how environmental toxicants and aging processes impact male reproductive health at a cellular level, moving beyond general descriptions of infertility.

Conversely, traditional mechanistic topics like mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis, and glutathione peroxidase experienced relative declines in their normalized frequencies. This shift suggests that while fundamental cellular death pathways were heavily studied in previous cohorts, current high-impact research is pivoting towards more specific environmental impacts (such as endocrine disruptors) and specialized cellular functions (such as Leydig cells). Overall, the field is evolving from broad studies of cell death and survival towards a more nuanced understanding of how external factors and aging specifically disrupt testicular endocrine function and spermatogenesis.

*How topics shifted year over year*

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Sperm and Testicular Function Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/sperm-and-testicular-function/2026. Accessed 2026-07-21.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
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