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Studies on Men's Health and Fertility pp 179–205Cite as

Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in the Germ Line

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Abstract

Cytokines are important mediators of the immunologic response and involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes in the male genital tract. The same cytokines that act as elements of immunomodulation for the male gonad appear in large concentrations in semen in a number of pathological conditions, including autoimmune diseases, spinal cord injury, varicocele, or genital tract infection/inflammation. The activated macrophages and neutrophils release reactive oxygen intermediates and secrete proinflammatory cytokines, both of which can affect spermatozoa through peroxidative processes of sperm membrane components and DNA. Elucidation of these mechanisms and their interactions can be critical to develop novel diagnostic tests and treatment of male genital tract infection/inflammation. This chapter covers the current evidence about a relationship among the cytokines, antioxidants, prooxidants, and semen parameters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells, Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszynska 32, 60-479, Poznan, Poland

    Monika Fraczek PhD, Anna Czernikiewicz MSc & Maciej Kurpisz MD, PhD

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  1. Monika Fraczek PhD
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  2. Anna Czernikiewicz MSc
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  3. Maciej Kurpisz MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Maciej Kurpisz MD, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Euclid Avenue 9500, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

  2. Faculty of Science and IT, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Drive 1, Callaghan, 2308, New South Wales, Australia

    R. John Aitken

  3. , Department of Male Infertility, Centro Androgen, C/FERNANDO MACIAS 8, 1ºC, La Coruña, 15004, La Coruña, Spain

    Juan G. Alvarez

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Fraczek, M., Czernikiewicz, A., Kurpisz, M. (2012). Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in the Germ Line. In: Agarwal, A., Aitken, R., Alvarez, J. (eds) Studies on Men's Health and Fertility. Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-776-7_9

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