An Overview of Male Reproductive Toxicants: Facts and Opinions

Abstract

A large variety of exogenous molecules such as therapeutic drugs, agriculture and industrial chemicals, food additives and cosmetics are present in our environment. The continuous exposure of humans to these chemicals raises crucial questions about its impact on health. The male reproductive system has emerged as one of the major toxicity targets of environmental toxicants. In industrialized countries, male infertility caused by exposure to environmental toxicants is becoming a crucial problem. In this review, we will discuss the anatomy of the male reproductive system, in particular that of the testis and epididymis, and reflect on the known mechanisms by which exposure to toxicants contribute to unwanted effects on spermatogenesis. Finally, we will present the relevance of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) Imaging Mass Spectrometry for studying the distribution of small exogenous molecules such as drugs and their metabolites in male reproductive organs and perform whole-body distribution studies on animal models.