Natural killer (NK) cells are important effector lymphocytes that play a pivotal role in the innate and adaptive immune responses to tumors and viral infection. NKT cells are a heterogeneous group of T cells that share properties with both T cells and NK cells. They display immunoregulatory properties as they facilitate the cell-mediated immune response to tumors and infectious diseases, and inhibit cell-mediated immunity associated with autoimmune diseases and allograft rejection. However, the roles of NK and NKT cells in the male reproductive tract remain largely unexplored, in particular, NKT cells, tissue distribution, and state of health or disease. Infection and inflammation of the male genital tract are thought to be the primary etiological factors of male infertility. In this review, we considered this complex and rapidly growing field. We summarize the recent findings and the characterization and roles of NK and NKT cells in the male reproductive tract, including the testis, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicle, and semen, to enhance our understanding of the immunological mechanisms of male infertility and for the design effective vaccines for male reproductive health in the future.

自然杀伤 (NK) 细胞是重要的效应淋巴细胞，在对肿瘤和病毒感染的先天性和适应性免疫反应中起关键作用。NKT 细胞是一组异质的 T 细胞，它们与 T 细胞和 NK 细胞共享特性。它们显示免疫调节特性，因为它们促进对肿瘤和传染病的细胞介导的免疫反应，并抑制与自身免疫疾病和同种异体移植排斥相关的细胞介导的免疫。然而，NK 和 NKT 细胞在男性生殖道中的作用在很大程度上仍未得到探索，特别是 NKT 细胞、组织分布以及健康或疾病状态。男性生殖道的感染和炎症被认为是男性不育的主要病因。在这篇综述中，我们考虑了这个复杂且快速发展的领域。