Engineered nanomaterials: an emerging class of novel endocrine disruptors. Biol Reprod 2014 Jul;91(1):20
Date
06/06/2014Pubmed ID
24899576Pubmed Central ID
PMC4434961DOI
10.1095/biolreprod.113.116244Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84906221825 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 29 CitationsAbstract
Over the past decade, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have garnered great attention for their potentially beneficial applications in medicine, industry, and consumer products due to their advantageous physicochemical properties and inherent size. However, studies have shown that these sophisticated molecules can initiate toxicity at the subcellular, cellular, and/or tissue/organ level in diverse experimental models. Investigators have also demonstrated that, upon exposure to ENMs, the physicochemical properties that are exploited for public benefit may mediate adverse endocrine-disrupting effects on several endpoints of mammalian reproductive physiology (e.g., steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, pregnancy). Elucidating these complex interactions within reproductive cells and tissues will significantly advance our understanding of ENMs as an emerging class of novel endocrine disruptors and reproductive toxicants. Herein we reviewed the recent developments in reproductive nanotoxicology and identified the gaps in our knowledge that may serve as future research directions to foster continued advancement in this evolving field of study.
Author List
Larson JK, Carvan MJ 3rd, Hutz RJAuthor
Reinhold J. Hutz in the Biological Sciences department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsEndocrine Disruptors
Female
Fertility
Humans
Male
Nanostructures
Reproduction