ReviewAsian journal of andrology
β-defensins and the epididymis: contrasting influences of prenatal, postnatal, and adult scenarios.
Review in Asian journal of andrology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.
- Immunoregulatory mechanisms between epithelial clear cells and mononuclear phagocytes in the epididymis.Andrology · 2024Pooled it
- Immunological dynamics of the epididymis: from experimental insights to clinical translation.Reproduction & fertility · 2026Review
- Proton-Secreting Cells as Drivers of Inflammation and Sperm Dysfunction in LPS-Induced Epididymitis.Function (Oxford, England) · 2025Article
- Beta-defensin 126 (DEFB126) localization and expression in the sperms and male reproductive tract of the dromedary camel (Open veterinary journal · 2025Article
- Comparison of SPAG11A gene expression in infertile men with grade 1 and 2 varicocele before and after treatment.JBRA assisted reproduction · 2024Article
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic investigation reveals the spatiotemporal specificity of the beta-defensin gene family during mouse sperm maturation.Cell communication and signaling : CCS · 2024Article
- Distinct actions of testicular endocrine and lumicrine signaling on the proximal epididymal transcriptome.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2024Article
- Analysis of amplification and association polymorphisms in the bovine beta-defensin 129 (BBD129) gene revealed its function in bull fertility.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Differential gene expression and hallmarks of stemness in epithelial cells of the developing rat epididymis.Cell and tissue research · 2022Article
- Buffalo sperm surface proteome profiling reveals an intricate relationship between innate immunity and reproduction.BMC genomics · 2021Article
- Declined expressing mRNA of beta-defensin 108 from epididymis is associated with decreased sperm motility in blue fox (Vulpes lagopus).BMC veterinary research · 2021Article
- Article
- Seasonal expressions of SPAG11A and androgen receptor in the epididymis of the wild ground squirrels (<em>Citellus dauricus</em> Brandt).European journal of histochemistry : EJH · 2020Article
- Differential Immune Response to Infection and Acute Inflammation Along the Epididymis.Frontiers in immunology · 2020Review
- Unusual interplay of contrasting selective pressures on β-defensin genes implicated in male fertility of the Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).BMC evolutionary biology · 2019Article
- Novel role of proton-secreting epithelial cells in sperm maturation and mucosal immunity.Journal of cell science · 2019Article
- Testosterone promotes GPX5 expression of goat epididymal epithelial cells cultured in vitro.In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal · 2019Article
- Epithelial dynamics in the epididymis: role in the maturation, protection, and storage of spermatozoa.Andrology · 2019Review
- Transcriptional networks in the human epididymis.Andrology · 2019Review
- Comparative RNA-Seq Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in the Epididymides of Yak and Cattleyak.Current genomics · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
β-defensins are components of host defense, with antimicrobial and pleiotropic immuno-modulatory properties. Research over the last 15 years has demonstrated abundant expression of a variety of β-defensins in the postnatal epididymis of different species. A gradient of region- and cell-specific expression of these proteins is observed in the epithelium of the postnatal epididymis. Their secretion into the luminal fluid and binding to spermatozoa as they travel along the epididymis has suggested their involvement in reproduction-specific tasks. Therefore, continuous attention has been given to various β-defensins for their role in sperm function and fertility. Although β-defensins are largely dependent on androgens, the underlying mechanisms regulating their expression and function in the epididymis are not well understood. Recent investigation has pointed out to a new and interesting scenario where β-defensins emerge with a different expression pattern in the Wolffian duct, the embryonic precursor of the epididymis, as opposed to the adult epididymis, thereby redefining the concept concerning the multifunctional roles of β-defensins in the developing epididymis. In this review, we summarize some current views of β-defensins in the epididymis highlighting our most recent data and speculations on their role in the developing epididymis during the prenatal-to-postnatal transition, bringing attention to the many unanswered questions in this research area that may contribute to a better understanding of epididymal biology and male fertility.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.