Part of “CHAPTER 113 – MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TESTIS“

There is increasing interest in the concept that the testis is an immunologically privileged site; this is based on observations that grafts in the testis survive for prolonged periods.125,126 The maintenance of this environment may be crucial in preventing the formation of autoantibodies to sperm components. Attention has been drawn to the large population of macrophages in the intertubular tissue of the testis that have an impaired capacity to respond to an inflammatory stimulus by the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. The reason for this observation is still unclear but may involve the production of unidentified substances by the Leydig and Sertoli cells. These cells have the capacity to produce cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 in response to inflammatory stimuli.127