Research Progress on the Damage of Spermatocytes Induced by Environmental Chemicals and Related Molecular Mechanisms

Studies report that many environmental chemicals can affect male sperm quality and reproductive ability. Spermatocytes are the important components of the male reproductive system, responsible for important tasks such as meiosis. Spermatocytes have a highly complex gene regulatory network and epigenetic modification homeostasis, which may be the important targets for environmental chemicals affecting spermatocytes and sperm quality. Environmental chemicals can not only interfere with the gene regulatory network, causing damage or abnormal meiosis in spermatocytes, but also may affect the formation of important proteins in sperm, leading to a decrease in sperm quality. This review focuses on the domestic and international progress of the environmental chemicals damaging spermatocytes and their molecular mechanisms, in order to provide clues for exploring the molecular mechanisms of abnormal sperm quality and male infertility, reducing the reproductive hazards of environmental chemicals, and promoting male reproductive health.