Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

Effects of micro(nano)plastics on the reproductive system: A review

This review summarizes research on how micro and nanoplastics affect the reproductive system in both animal studies and cell experiments. Evidence indicates these particles can cross biological barriers, accumulate in reproductive organs, and disrupt hormones, egg development, and sperm quality. While human studies are still limited, the animal data suggests microplastic exposure may be a meaningful concern for reproductive health.

2023 Chemosphere 42 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Precision Nanotoxicology in Drug Development: Current Trends and Challenges in Safety and Toxicity Implications of Customized Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Drug-Delivery Applications

This review highlights the growing gap between the rapid commercialization of multifunctional nanocarriers for drug delivery and our limited understanding of their long-term toxicity in humans and the environment. Standardized nanotoxicology frameworks are urgently needed to evaluate safety before widespread clinical adoption.

2022 Pharmaceutics 100 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Metal Nanoparticles on Female Reproductive System: Risks and Opportunities

This review examines the impact of metal nanoparticles on the female reproductive system, discussing how exposure can disrupt ovarian function, embryo development, and fertility while also noting potential therapeutic applications in reproductive medicine.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress in Reproductive Toxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Males and Its Mechanisms

This review summarized research on the reproductive toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in males, finding that MNPs accumulate in reproductive organs and cause toxicity through oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, and DNA damage, with implications for both animal and human reproductive health.

2025 Hans Journal of Food and Nutrition Science
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of micro/nano-plastics on human reproductive health: A review

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect human reproductive health in both men and women. Evidence from animal and lab studies shows that these particles can accumulate in reproductive organs, disrupt hormones, damage eggs and sperm, and cause inflammation and oxidative stress. While human studies are still limited, the growing body of evidence suggests that microplastic exposure is a potential threat to fertility that warrants further investigation.

2025 Toxicology Letters 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on the reproductive system: A comprehensive review of fertility and potential harmful interactions

This review summarizes how microplastics and nanoplastics can harm both male and female reproductive systems by disrupting hormone signaling, damaging sperm and egg cells, and causing inflammation in reproductive tissues. Smaller nanoplastics are especially concerning because they can cross biological barriers more easily and reach the testes and ovaries. With global infertility rates rising, the authors highlight environmental plastic exposure as a factor that deserves more research attention.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nano and microplastics on the reproduction system: In vitro and in vivo studies review

This review summarizes both lab and animal studies on how micro and nanoplastics affect the reproductive system in males and females. Evidence shows that microplastics can reduce sperm quality, damage ovaries, disrupt hormone levels, and even cross the placenta during pregnancy. The findings raise significant concerns about how widespread microplastic exposure might contribute to fertility problems and reproductive health issues in humans.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 38 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Reproductive and developmental implications of micro- and nanoplastic internalization: Recent advances and perspectives

This systematic review documented the detection of micro- and nanoplastics in human semen, placenta, and ovarian follicular fluid, and found evidence linking exposure to impaired sperm quality, disrupted ovarian function, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. In animal models, MNPs caused developmental toxicity and transgenerational effects, with oxidative stress, inflammation, and epigenetic modification identified as key mechanisms.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 23 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Multi-cellular engineered living systems to assess reproductive toxicology

Researchers reviewed how multi-cellular engineered living systems — including organ-on-chip devices and organoids — are being used to model reproductive toxicology for chemicals and drugs, highlighting their advantages over animal models for studying the placenta, embryo development, and both male and female reproductive organs.

2024 Reproductive Toxicology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The reproductive and transgenerational toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics: A threat to mammalian fertility in both sexes

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics can accumulate in reproductive organs and harm fertility in both males and females. In animal studies, exposure led to damaged sperm, disrupted hormones, and abnormal ovary and uterus structure. Offspring of exposed mothers also showed metabolic problems, immune issues, and cognitive disorders, suggesting these particles may affect future generations.

2023 Journal of Applied Toxicology 65 citations
Review Tier 2

"Unseen Dangers: The Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Human Reproductive Health - A Narrative Review"

This review examines the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on human reproductive health, covering evidence from in vitro, animal, and epidemiological studies showing that plastic particles can disrupt hormone signaling, sperm function, ovarian development, and placental integrity.

2025 Recent Advances in Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery
Article Tier 2

Impact of nanoparticles and nanoplastics on female reproductive health

This review examines the evidence on how nanoparticles and nanoplastics may affect female reproductive health after entering the body through dermal, oral, and inhalation routes. Researchers note that these materials have been found in human ovarian tissue, raising concern about their potential effects on fertility and reproductive outcomes. The study highlights the need for more research into the reproductive health implications of nanoplastic exposure.

2026 Biology of Reproduction
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Reproductive toxicity and related mechanisms of micro(nano)plastics in terrestrial mammals: Review of current evidence.

This review of terrestrial mammal studies found that micro- and nanoplastics induce reproductive toxicity through oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, and DNA damage, affecting both male and female fertility. In males, effects include blood-testis barrier disruption and impaired spermatogenesis, while females show compromised oocyte maturation, ovarian fibrosis, and diminished ovarian reserve, with particles also capable of crossing the maternal-fetal interface.

2024 Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
Article Tier 2

Concerning influences of micro/nano plastics on female reproductive health: focusing on cellular and molecular pathways from animal models to human studies

This review summarizes research showing that micro- and nanoplastics can harm the female reproductive system in multiple ways, from reducing ovarian reserves and disrupting hormone balance to accumulating in the placenta and breast milk. Animal studies show these particles trigger oxidative stress and inflammation in reproductive tissues, and human studies have confirmed their presence in placental tissue and infant feces, raising concerns about effects on fertility and fetal development.

2024 Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 38 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

The emerging risk of microplastics and nanoplastics on the microstructure and function of reproductive organs in mammals: A systematic review of preclinical evidence

Preclinical evidence from 12 studies shows micro- and nanoplastics accumulate in mammalian gonads, causing dose-dependent damage including seminiferous degeneration, sperm malformation, reduced follicular growth, and impaired hormone levels through pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory mechanisms.

2022 Life Sciences 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the threat: Microplastics and nano-plastics' impact on reproductive viability across ecosystems

This review summarizes research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect reproduction across many species, from aquatic invertebrates to mammals including humans. In males, exposure leads to testicular damage, lower sperm quality, and hormone disruption; in females, it causes ovarian and uterine problems, inflammation, and reduced fertility. The evidence also shows these reproductive harms can be passed to offspring, raising serious concerns about long-term effects on human fertility.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Unravelling the potential mechanisms of nano- and microplastic toxicity to the male reproductive system: A systematic review

This systematic review found that micro- and nanoplastics accumulate in the testes and epididymis in rodent models, disrupting the blood-testis barrier, increasing germ cell death, reducing sperm motility, and causing hormone imbalance through oxidative stress and inflammation. Smaller nanoplastics penetrate tissues more readily for molecular disruption, while larger microplastics cause greater structural damage.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of microplastics and nanoplastics: invisible killers of female fertility and offspring health

This review summarizes research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect female fertility across multiple species, from reproductive failure to developmental problems in offspring. The tiny particles can infiltrate the body through food, air, and skin, accumulating in reproductive tissues where they disrupt hormones and damage eggs. While animal studies cannot be directly applied to humans, the consistent findings across species raise serious concerns about the potential impact of microplastic exposure on women's reproductive health.

2023 Frontiers in Physiology 54 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Exposure to micro- and nanoplastics and human reproductive outcomes: a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes existing research on whether micro and nanoplastics affect human fertility and pregnancy outcomes. While the evidence is still emerging, the review found that these particles have been detected in placenta and fetal tissue, raising important questions about potential effects on reproductive health that warrant further study.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the impact of nanoplastics on reproductive health: Exposure pathways, mechanisms, and implications

This review summarizes existing research on how nanoplastics (tiny plastic particles smaller than one micrometer) affect reproductive health in animals and potentially humans. Studies show that nanoplastics can accumulate in reproductive organs including the placenta, and evidence from animal studies links exposure to hormone disruption, reduced fertility, and developmental problems. The authors highlight a significant knowledge gap about nanoplastic effects on human reproduction, despite growing evidence that these particles reach our reproductive systems.

2024 Toxicology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of potential detrimental effects of nano- and microplastics in human endometrial stromal cells

This review examined potential detrimental effects of nano- and microplastics in human reproductive health, assessing in vitro and animal studies showing disruption to sperm motility, hormonal signaling, and embryonic development. The authors conclude that reproductive toxicity is a plausible concern but emphasize the lack of direct human clinical evidence.

2024 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity of micro‐ and nanoplastics: Insights from experimental and human studies

This review examined 40 studies on how micro- and nanoplastics may affect human reproduction, finding that these particles have been detected in breast milk, placenta, ovaries, testes, and semen. Animal studies have linked plastic particle exposure to reduced sperm quality, disrupted egg development, smaller litter sizes, and possible effects passed to future generations. The evidence suggests that microplastic exposure may be a contributing factor worth investigating as global fertility rates continue to decline.

2025 Journal of Internal Medicine 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Threats of nano/microplastics to reproduction and offspring: Potential mechanisms and perspectives

This review summarized the evidence on how nano- and microplastics threaten reproduction and offspring health across multiple species, including fish, invertebrates, and mammals. The authors outlined potential mechanisms by which these plastic particles disrupt endocrine function, gonadal development, and embryonic development.

2024 Journal of Toxicological Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics

This review summarizes existing research on how micro- and nanoplastics harm reproduction across many species, from marine invertebrates to mammals. The particles can cause oxidative stress and hormone disruption, leading to reduced fertility, abnormal embryo development, and toxic effects that pass to offspring. The findings raise concerns that human reproductive health could be similarly affected given our increasing exposure to these particles.

2023 Environment International 101 citations