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Assessment of microplastic toxicity on blood-testis barrier using 3D cell spheroids
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Researchers used 3D cell spheroids to model the blood-testis barrier and tested how polystyrene microplastics affect male reproductive tissue. They found that microplastic exposure triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress in Sertoli cells, with effects varying by particle size and concentration. The study suggests that microplastics may pose risks to reproductive health by disrupting the cellular stress response in testicular barrier tissues.
Industrial production generates large quantities of microplastics (MPs), which can significantly impact ecosystems and pose potential risks to human health, both directly and indirectly, and the mechanisms and potential toxicity of microplastics affecting the reproductive system remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of microplastics on the blood-testis barrier using 3D Sertoli cell spheroids (TM4S) exposed to artificially manufactured primary polystyrene microplastics (MPS). To investigate these effects, we explored the invasiveness of MPS in relation to microplastic size and concentration, and analyzed morphological changes in the cell spheroids. In addition, we evaluated changes in cellular physiological activities. Finally, we detected pathways related to endoplasmic reticulum stress in Sertoli cells (TM4), and revealed that exposure to MPS triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress in TM4S. This model has the potential to deepen our understanding on the microplastic-reproduction interaction and the underlying toxicity mechanisms of microplastics in the reproductive system.
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Male reproductive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics: Study on the endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics for 35 days and found significant male reproductive toxicity, including decreased sperm counts and motility, increased sperm abnormalities, and reduced testosterone levels. The microplastics caused structural damage to the seminiferous tubules and triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress in testicular tissue. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may impair male reproductive health through stress-related signaling pathways in the testes.
Comparative analysis of reproductive toxicity of polystyrene‐nanoplastics and polystyrene‐microplastics in rat Sertoli cells
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This comparative study found that polystyrene nanoplastics cause greater toxicity to Sertoli cells than microplastics due to cellular internalization, disrupting blood-testis barrier integrity via oxidative stress and apoptosis, while microplastics primarily triggered extracellular inflammation.
Polystyrene microplastics induce blood–testis barrier disruption regulated by the MAPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway in rats
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Researchers fed rats polystyrene microplastics for 90 days and found significant damage to male reproductive health, including reduced sperm quality, damaged sperm-producing tissue, and increased cell death. The study identified a specific molecular pathway where microplastics triggered oxidative stress that disrupted the blood-testis barrier, a critical protective structure in the testes. These findings provide new evidence that microplastic exposure may pose risks to male reproductive function.
Mechanisms of Polystyrene Microplastics in Multipathway Disruption of the Blood–Testis Barrier
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Scientists gave mice water containing microplastics (the same tiny plastic particles found in bottled water, seafood, and many everyday products) and found that it damaged a protective barrier in the testicles that normally shields developing sperm cells from harmful substances and immune attacks. The damage got worse with higher doses and longer exposure, and appeared linked to immune cells becoming overactive in testicular tissue. While this was an animal study and more research is needed to confirm effects in humans, it raises real concerns about how microplastic pollution might affect male fertility.
Polystyrene microplastics impair the functions of cultured mouse Leydig (TM3) and Sertoli (TM4) cells by inducing mitochondrial-endoplasmic reticulum damage
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Lab experiments showed that polystyrene microplastics damaged two key types of testicular cells in mice -- Leydig cells that produce testosterone and Sertoli cells that support sperm development -- by harming their mitochondria (the cell's energy centers) and stressing the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure could contribute to male reproductive problems by disrupting hormone production and sperm development at the cellular level.
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