Role of cytokines in testicular function

Inflammatory disease has been established to affect male reproductive funct ion and fertility. Relevant inflammatory diseases include general and chron ic infectious diseases as well as localized acute or chronic infections of the male genitourinary tract. Male accessory gland infections account for a lmost 15% of all cases of male infertility seen in infertility clinics whil e fertility usually is not a clinical objective among patients with acute s ystemic infections such as Gramnegative sepsis. Infections of the male acce ssory glands frequently are associated with increased counts of white blood cells in semen and elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in semen a nd the testis, There is a mounting body of evidence that demonstrates the i mportance of cytokines and chemokines in the regulation of testicular and g landular function during pathophysiological states as well as under normal physiological conditions when cytokines act as growth and differentiation f actors. The purpose of this review is to examine the role of cytokines in t he regulation of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in the testis under ph ysiological and pathophysiological conditions and considers clinical invest igations that help to improve the evaluation and treatment of male infertil ity.