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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

Microplastics: A Threat for Male Fertility

TLDR
In this paper, the main changes in sperm quality along the lifespan and the upcoming studies on the effects of microplastics in male fertility in mammals are summarized and discussed. But the effect of MP exposure on male reproduction and sperm quality is poorly known.
Abstract
Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Once at sea, sunlight, wind, and wave action break down plastic waste into small particles: the microplastics (MPs). Currently, particular attention has been drawn to their effects on aquatic environments but the health risks, especially in mammals, are poorly known. These non-biodegradable materials can act as a vector for environmental pollutants, can be ingested by humans in food and water, and can enter and accumulate in human tissues with a possible risk for heath. Recent studies revealed the deleterious effects of MPs exposure in male reproduction and sperm quality, making them a potential hazard to reproductive success. This manuscript summarizes the main changes in sperm quality along the lifespan and the upcoming studies on the effects of MPs in male fertility in mammals.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI

Micro(nano)plastics pollution and human health: A carcinogenesis concern for humans.

TL;DR: In this article , the authors highlight MPs and NPs pathways to the food chain and how these plastic particles can cause risks to human health, such as respiratory, immune, reproductive, and digestive systems.
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Comparing the effects of polystyrene microplastics exposure on reproduction and fertility in male and female mice

TL;DR: In this article, male and female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to saline or 0.1 mg/d polystyrene microplastics for 30 days or 44 days to determine the effects of MPs on reproductive systems, following which some of the mice were caged for 10 days to mate to test fertility.
Journal ArticleDOI

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels via the LH-mediated LHR/cAMP/PKA/StAR pathway

TL;DR: In this article , the effects of exposure to polystyrene microplastics (MPs) on the male reproductive system of mice were investigated and it was shown that chronic exposure to MPs resulted in toxicity of male reproduction under environmental exposure levels and these potential risks may ring alarm bells of public health.
Journal ArticleDOI

Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels via the LH-mediated LHR/cAMP/PKA/StAR pathway

TL;DR: In this article , the effects of exposure to polystyrene microplastic microplastics (MPs) on the male reproductive system of mice were investigated. And the results showed that chronic exposure to MPs resulted in toxicity of male reproduction under environmental exposure levels, which may ring alarm bells of public health.
Journal ArticleDOI

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in mice.

TL;DR: In this paper , the adverse impacts of polystyrene MPs on the brain and hippocampal learning and memory were investigated in mice, showing that exposure to MPs in mice alters the expression of neuronal activity-dependent genes and synaptic proteins, and increases neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, subsequently causing behavioral changes through the vagus nerve-dependent pathway.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water: Critical review and assessment of data quality.

TL;DR: More high quality data is needed on the occurrence of microplastics in drinking water, to better understand potential exposure and to inform human health risk assessments, and there is a significant need to improve quality assurance ofmicroplastic sampling and analysis in water samples.
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Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta.

TL;DR: Six human placentas, collected from consenting women with physiological pregnancies, were analyzed by Raman Microspectroscopy to evaluate the presence of microplastics, finding 12 microplastic fragments, with spheric or irregular shape, in total.
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Microplastics in Seafood and the Implications for Human Health.

TL;DR: Evidence regarding human exposure to microplastics via seafood via seafood is described and potential health effects are discussed and mitigation and adaptation strategies targeting the life cycle of microplastic are recommended.
Journal ArticleDOI

Detection of Various Microplastics in Human Stool: A Prospective Case Series.

TL;DR: In this paper microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are ubiquitous in natural environments and they are increasingly polluting aqueous, terrestrial, and airborne environments.
Journal ArticleDOI

Tissue accumulation of microplastics in mice and biomarker responses suggest widespread health risks of exposure.

TL;DR: Investigation of tissue distribution, accumulation, and tissue-specific health risk of MPs in mice revealed significant alteration in several biomarkers that indicate potential toxicity from MPs exposure, and provided new evidence for the adverse consequences of MPs.
Related Papers (5)
Trending Questions (2)
What are the specific molecular and cellular pathways that microplastics can affect in male infertility?

The specific molecular and cellular pathways that microplastics can affect in male infertility are not mentioned in the provided paper.

How microplastics lead to infertility in female?

The provided paper does not discuss how microplastics lead to infertility in females. The paper focuses on the effects of microplastics on male fertility and sperm quality.