Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Unfolded Protein Response in HIV-1 Replication and Infectivity
Published on: June 14, 2024
Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in The Male Reproductive System
Mohsen Rahmani1, Marziyeh Tavalaee1, Joel R Drevet2
1Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract:
Testicular dysfunction, whether linked to varicocele, obesity, diabetes, aging, inflammation, or lifestyle or environmental issues, is frequently accompanied by an accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins, indicating impaired endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function. In this review, we examined the Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed databases (from 2011 to 2022) to support the association of ER stress with defective spermatogenesis in animal models and humans. ER stress, whether in its pro-survival or pro-apoptotic aspect, appears to be closely linked to each studied situation. Several studies have demonstrated a significant increase in oxidative stress (OS) levels in infertile men compared to fertile individuals, which is associated with poor spermatogenesis quality. OS is likely the result of the interplay between ER stress and spermatogenesis defects. These findings suggest that therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating both ER stress and OS could be of interest in restoring male reproductive function.
Related Concept Videos
Role of ER in the Secretory Pathway
Components of the secretory pathway
About a third of proteins synthesized in the cell are sorted via the secretory route. They shuffle between different compartments in membrane-bound vesicles until they reach their final destination. The main intracellular compartments involved...
Testosterone: Functions and Regulation
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
The ER provides optimal conditions for synthesizing steroid hormones and lipids, such as phospholipids and triglycerides. Traditionally, lipid metabolism was considered to be a smooth ER function. However, there is no direct evidence to prove that rough ER is completely excluded from lipid...
Overview of the Reproductive System
The gonads, or primary reproductive organs, produce gametes and sex hormones. In males, the testes produce spermatozoa and testosterone, which is responsible for developing secondary male sex characteristics, including a deeper voice, larger muscles, facial and body...

