Centre for Reproduction and Development

Endocrinology & immunophysiology

Lab head: Associate Professor Mark Hedger

The testis has a unique relationship with the immune system. We know the immune system in the testis is naturally suppressed, as sperm does not appear in the reproductive tract until after the male immune system is developed. By investigating the unique mechanisms of immunoregulation in the testis and the effects of inflammation and infection on male reproductive function, we will better understand the relationship between the male reproductive tract and the immune system. This will provide us with clues about autoimmune infertility, inflammation of the male reproductive tract, and may eventually hold the key to the development of male contraceptives and immunotherapeutics that could be used for transplant patients.

Immunoregulation in the male reproductive tract
The presence of immunosuppressive molecules in the fluids surrounding the developing germ cells provides a novel explanation for the phenomenon of immune privilege in reproductive tissues. This work also has implications for the development of novel therapeutics for autoimmune disease such as lupus and arthritis, as well as reproductive diseases such as prostatitis and infertility.

Characterisation of lymphocyte cell subsets in the male reproductive tract
A greater level of understanding of the properties of these cells and their cytokine/regulator production profiles has implications for obstructive azoospermia patients (patients who suffer infection or inflammation to the genital tract. development of male contraceptives targeting the genital tract, and for understanding and eventually treating chronic pelvic inflammatory syndromes.

Biology, regulation and function of the testicular macrophage (TM) cells
We are investigating the functional properties of TM cells, which play a key role in the testicular immune response, and the mechanisms that lead to their development. We are hoping to define the role of TM cells in testicular development and how the cells recover when damaged. A greater understanding of this fundamental biology will increase our knowledge of how TM cells operate in an immune-privileged tissue, and may also provide an explanation for gender-based differences in immune functions.

Inflammatory networks in control of spermatogenesis and consequences for disease
Cytokines and other inflammatory mediators play an important, yet poorly studied, role in testicular function regulation. We are addressing several important questions to further understanding in this area: Which inflammatory networks in the testis are essential for fertility? Is there a link between inflammation of the male reproductive tract and male infertility? How do retroviruses enter the male reproductive tract? What is the pattern of disease progression? Do testicular cells act as an infection source that is out of reach of the current retroviral therapies?