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Published on: September 3, 2012
Innate and acquired immunity in the human penile urethra
Jeffrey Pudney1, Deborah Anderson
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
None:
In men, the penile urethra is a primary infection site for sexually transmitted pathogens. Research on the immunology of this mucosal site has been limited in part due to sampling challenges, but available evidence indicates that the urethra contains a rich contingent of immunological mediators that can mount vigorous innate and adaptive immune responses against infectious organisms. Further research is needed to define approaches to stimulate immunity at this mucosal site to prevent the transmission of HIV-1 and other sexually transmitted pathogens.
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