Further question to Tracey

  I read your post to Bob.
  If you did become sterile from a blow to the testicles, would
  you know by an obvious amount of bleeding or swelling?  Or would
  it be possible to think all is well when, in fact, permanent damage had occurred.
  How often do you see cases where a blow to the testicles has caused permanent damage?
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Dear Michael
I would like to interject about  the questions and comments between you and Tracy.
Put quite simply, testicular tubules have a protective barrier which keeps it safe from the exposure to the bloodstream. It is called the blood testes barrier and protects the testicle and its haploid ( half the number of chromosomes) sperm from being exposed to the immunologic system of the body.  The haploid sperm is seen by the body (diploid)  as foreign, and if exposed to each other, the body can mount an immune response against ones own sperm.  This is why moderate trauma can result in the production of antisperm antibodies thus  resulting in infertility.  This is not an absolute scenario. All men who have testicular trauma are not subfertile or necessarily form antisperm antibodies. The semen analysis may be normal, but the sperm do not perform properly.     Antisperm antibodies are common.   Many men have antisperm antibodies, especially if they have had a vasectomy ( The blood stream is exposed to the sperm.).  This does not cause any other recognized problems to date.
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