Reproductive Tract Inflammation: Implications for Sperm Pathology and Male Infertility

Call for Papers

The direct association between acute or chronic infection and/or inflammation in the male reproductive system and subsequent development of infertility is actively discussed, and it constitutes an important problem of contemporary andrology. The reduced semen quality during the inflammatory process usually results from impairment of accessory glands function and/or obstruction of sperm transport, and/or dysregulation of spermatogenesis. A course of the inflammatory process and its detrimental effect on sperm depends on the type of the initiating factor, the durations of activity of inflammatory mediators, and individual susceptibility to the inflammatory response. The local influence of biologically active substances released by activated leukocytes (e.g., reactive oxygen species and cytokines) and their mutual interactions on aggravation of toxic effects for human spermatozoa is well known; however, this still presents a puzzle.

This special issue will be a continuation of present research trends and will be aimed at summarizing current knowledge on negative influence of inflammation and bacterial/viral infections in particular compartments of the male genital tract influencing semen parameters and male fertility. Andrologists, urologists, microbiologists, geneticists, and biologists are welcome to discuss and to present their own points of view. Manuscripts dealing with morphological and molecular findings in human-ejaculated spermatozoa during in vivo and in vitro experimental infection/inflammation are welcome in order to achieve a clear picture of subcellular changes in ejaculated spermatozoa occurring in the course of male genital tract inflammation. The value of all of these observations will be significant and will serve to develop new diagnostic algorithms in infertile patients with the infections of the reproductive system, which are observed in a considerable number of infertile men. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Orchitis
• Epididymitis
• Prostatitis syndrome
• Chlamydial and gonococcal infections
• Semen infection: aerobic, anaerobic, and atypical bacteria
• HIV infection/viral infection
• Leukocytospermia
• Cytokines and oxidative stress in semen infection/inflammation
• Sperm plasma membrane damage
• Sperm DNA damage and apoptosis
• Sperm mitochondrial damage
• Diagnostic markers of semen inflammation

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/mi/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Maciej Kurpisz, Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells, Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszyńska 32, 60-479 Poznań, Poland

Guest Editors

• Monika Fraczek, Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells, Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Strzeszyńska 32, 60-479 Poznań, Poland
• Janice L. Bailey, Département des Sciences Animales, Université Laval, Pavillon Paul-Comtois, 2425, Rue de l'Agriculture, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6
• Elisabetta Baldi, University of Florence-Clinical Physiopathology, Andrology Unit, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy