The blood-testis barrier is composed of multiple protein complexes between adjacent Sertoli cells. It maintains normal spermatogenesis in the spermatogenic epithelium by participating in the construction of the spermatogenic environment, providing an immune barrier and giving cells polarity. It is known that the structure and function of the blood-testis barrier are susceptible to damage from external adverse environmental factors, but influencing factors of blood-testis barrier injury and their related mechanisms have not been systematically elucidated. This review outlines the structure, function, and physiological regulation mechanism of the blood-testis barrier, summarizes the chemical, physical, and biological factors that impair the blood-testis barrier, and generalizes the related mechanisms of adverse environmental factors that damage the structure and function of the blood testis barrier by affecting epigenetic modifications, signaling pathway expressions, cytokine and endocrine hormone levels, which has an important guiding significance for ensuring sperm quality and avoiding testicular damage, and also provides a theoretical basis for preventing male infertility.

Blood-testis barrier; Epigenetics; Signaling pathways; Cytokines; Endocrine hormones