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Updated: May 23, 2026

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity
Published on: December 2, 2018
Nanoparticles and spermatogenesis: how do nanoparticles affect spermatogenesis and penetrate the blood-testis barrier
1The Sperm Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China.
Abstract:
Due to the widespread use of nanomaterials in medical, industrial and military applications, the question as to whether nanoparticles (NPs) cause harmful disturbances in human health, especially on the reproductive system, remains a matter of concern. In this review, we focus mainly on the in vivo and in vitro effects of NPs on spermatogenesis at the clinical, cellular and molecular levels. In general, most NPs display adverse effects on spermatogenesis at these various levels; but, some NPs show no adverse effects. However, the mechanism underlying NP disruption of spermatogenesis and penetration of the blood-testis barrier remains unclear. In this review, we raise many hypotheses for experimental testing in order to elucidate the mechanism.
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