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Immunological Infertility in Men: Clinical and Therapeutic Considerations

  • Chapter
Treatment of Male Infertility

Abstract

The antigenicity of spermatozoa and the seminal fluid has been known since the turn of the century. That immunization of both male and female animals with semen, testicular cells, and spermatozoa could render them temporarily or permanently sterile boosted research in immunoreproduction. As a result of these studies, a complex of antigenic substances has been described in semen. These antigens can be broadly classified into those found in the seminal fluid and those found in or on the spermatozoa (Fig. 1). Proteins, blood-group substances, HL-A antigens, and lactoferrin are examples of potent antigens found in the seminal fluid. In the group of antigens demonstrated with the spermatozoa, hyaluronidase, acrosin, protamine, and LDH-X can be mentioned, the first three originating from the sperm head and the last in the middle piece. In addition, a lipoglycoprotein present on the sperm surface appears to constitute at least one of the antigens that induces sperm agglutination and sperm immobilization. To further complicate the picture, spermatozoa have been shown to be potent antigen absorbers.

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Authors
  1. J. Friberg
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue; Suites 639-640, M5G 1X5, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Jerald Bain M.D.

  2. Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität München, Frauenlobstr. 9-11, 8000, München 2, West Germany

    Wolf-B. Schill

  3. Grupo de Estudio en Fertilidad y Endocrinologia de Rosario, Cordoba 1764, 2000, Rosario (SF), Argentina

    Luis Schwarzstein

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© 1982 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Friberg, J. (1982). Immunological Infertility in Men: Clinical and Therapeutic Considerations. In: Bain, J., Schill, WB., Schwarzstein, L. (eds) Treatment of Male Infertility. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68223-0_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68223-0_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-68225-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68223-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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