Aquaporins (AQPs) are small, intrinsic membrane proteins that are present in many cell types involved in fluid transport. AQP9 is a major apical water channel that is expressed throughout the efferent ducts, epididymis, and vas deferens, as well as in other regions of the human and rodent male reproductive tract. The target of this study was to examine the expression of AQP9 in epithelial cells...

The role of the male reproductive tract as a reservoir for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is poorly understood. To analyze the presence of HPV DNA, 27 samples, comprising postvasectomy semen samples and pre- and postejaculation urine samples, were obtained from 18 men recalled for follow-up. HPV DNA was analyzed by nested polymerase chain reaction, confirmed with Southern blot hybridizati...

In human voices, low fundamental frequency is thought to be a cue to masculinity and reproductive capability and large vocal tracts are associated with large body size of the speaker. Female preferences for males with low fundamental frequencies and large vocal tract lengths are potentially adaptive. Although sexually dimorphic characteristics of male voices have been studied, the impact of man...

BACKGROUND Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an innate immune protein that is present in mucosal lined surfaces throughout the human body, including the male reproductive tract. In the present study, we characterized the regulation of SP-D expression in the mouse and rat prostate. METHODS Real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunostaining were used to character...

Mammalian spermatozoa are particularly susceptible to the deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, which ultimately lead to impaired fertility. A number of enzymes are present in the male reproductive tract which may play a role in preventing oxidative damage; in particular, the epididymis is the site of synthesis and secretion of large amounts of extracellular sup...