Bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi are some important clinical pathogens that may cause the microbial infections of male reproductive tracts, and also interfere with the reproductive function in male [2]. 15% of the cases of male infertility are due to reproductive tract inflammations and infections [3]. Several organs of the male reproductive system, such as male accessory sex glands, test...

Fertility in the male is dependent on the proper production of sperm cells. This process, called spermatogenesis is very complex and involves the synchronization of numerous factors. The presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 β) cytokines in the male reproductive tract (testis, epididymis and sperm) ...

Patil, Amar A., Yibin Cai, Yongming Sang, Frank Blecha, and Guolong Zhang. Cross-species analysis of the mammalian -defensin gene family: presence of syntenic gene clusters and preferential expression in the male reproductive tract. Physiol Genomics 23: 5–17, 2005. First published July 20, 2005; 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00104.2005.—Mammalian -defensins are an important family of innate host defe...

BACKGROUND The 12 kD FK506 binding protein FKBP12 is a cytosolic receptor for the immunosuppressant drugs FK506 and rapamycin. In addition to its critical role in drug-induced T-cell immunosuppression, FKBP12 associates physiologically with ryanodine and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptors, regulating their ability to flux calcium. We investigated a role for FKBP12 in male reproductive...

The peptide oxytocin is present in tissues of the male reproductive tract from a variety of mammalian species. In the human, specific mRNA for oxytocin and the peptide itself have been identified in the testis, epididymis and prostate. The peptide has been shown to modulate both steroidogenesis and contractility in the male reproductive tract and may be involved in the pathogenesis of benign pr...

Prostaglandins (PGs) can be synthesized by the testes (Ellis, 1972) and are present in the male accessory reproductive tissues and in the semen of various mammalian species (Bygdeman, Fredricsson, Svanborg & Samuelsson, 1970; Tan & Privett, 1972). Their physiological rôle in the male reproductive system is not understood but various effects of PG administration on the testes and male reproducti...

Male reproductive fitness is strongly affected by seminal fluid. In addition to interacting with the female environment, seminal fluid mediates important physiological characteristics of sperm, including capacitation and motility. In mammals, the male reproductive tract shows a striking degree of compartmentalization, with at least six distinct tissue types contributing material that is combine...

Male reproductive glands secrete signals into seminal fluid to facilitate reproductive success. In Drosophila melanogaster, these signals are generated by a variety of seminal peptides, many produced by the accessory glands (AGs). One epithelial cell type in the adult male AGs, the secondary cell (SC), grows selectively in response to bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling. This signaling i...

For over 15 years, reproductive toxicologists have explored the physiological outcomes and mechanism of fetal phthalate exposure to determine the risk posed to human male reproductive health. This review examines the fetal male reproductive system response to phthalate exposure across species including rat, mouse, and human, with emphasis on the testis. In the rat, in utero phthalate exposure c...