Immunosuppressive properties of human seminal plasma and their possible biological and clinical significance: role of the proteins immunorelated to the rat SV-IV protein.

The main function that can reasonably be attributed to the immunosuppressive systems occurring in the mammalian seminal plasma seems to be related to the vital necessity for the sexuate organism to avoid: 1) structural or functional damage of the mature elements of the male germ line cells by the immunocompetent cells present in the male and female genital tract; 2) violent acute inflammation episodes in which the release of large amounts of various mediators of inflammation could impair the function integrity of the germ cells; 3) a premature immunological attack of the zygote during the implantation step of the embryonic development