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Infectious and Immunological Aspects of Male Infertility

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Endocrinology of the Testis and Male Reproduction

Part of the book series: Endocrinology ((ENDOCR))

Abstract

Microbial infections and immunological disorders in the male genital system are among the etiological factors of male infertility. The male genital tracts, particularly the testis and epididymis, possess special immunoregulatory mechanisms to protect sperm from immune attacks. However, microbial infections, chemical toxins, and physical trauma may disrupt the immune homeostasis in the male genital tracts and induce local inflammation or autoimmune responses, thereby perturbing fertility. Inflammation in the male genital system is characterized by leukocyte infiltration, increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and impairment of tissue function. Autoimmune responses to male germ cell antigens may lead to a chronic inflammation in the testis and the generation of antisperm antibodies that impair sperm function. Understanding the mechanisms underlying infectious and immunological infertility can aid in the development of preventive and therapeutic approaches for the disease. This chapter describes the major microbial infections and immunological disorders in the male genital system, as well as their detrimental effects on male fertility.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31261160491, 31371518) and Major State Basic Research Project of China (Grant Nos. 2015CB943001, 2016YFA0101001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, 5 Dong Dan San Tiao, 100005, Beijing, China

    Qian Jiang & Daishu Han

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  1. Qian Jiang
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  2. Daishu Han
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Correspondence to Daishu Han .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Biomedicine, Metabolism and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Modena, Italy

    Manuela Simoni

  2. Dept. of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

    Ilpo Huhtaniemi

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Jiang, Q., Han, D. (2016). Infectious and Immunological Aspects of Male Infertility. In: Simoni, M., Huhtaniemi, I. (eds) Endocrinology of the Testis and Male Reproduction. Endocrinology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29456-8_35-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29456-8_35-1

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