Cytokines in the male reproductive tract and their role in infertility disorders

• The cytokine pattern defines the background of male genital tract inflammation.
• Cytokines are an essential part of the inflammatory effect caused by varicocele.
• There is scarce evidence that cytokines play any role in cryptorchidism.

Cell integration between the immune and reproductive systems is the basis for normal male reproductive physiology. Cytokines are a part of the autocrine/paracrine network operating in the male reproductive tract. At the same time, immunological reactions occurring via cytokines appear to be both beneficial and/or risk factors for male fertility. As the cytokines are produced by a whole spectrum of cells in all compartments of the male genital tract, they can also be involved in a variety of andrological disorders. The monitoring of cytokines and other immune factors in seminal plasma may offer a chance to better understand the mechanisms leading to sub-/infertility. In this review, we present insights into cytokine interplay in some of the pathological conditions associated with male reproduction.