Role of Antioxidant in Testicular Integrity

Spermatogenesis is an extremely active replicative process capable of generating approximately 1000 sperms a second with correspondingly high rates of mitochondrial oxygen consumption by the germinal epithelium. This process generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) through reactions with drugs and environmental toxins, or when the level of antioxidants is diminished results in oxidative stress. Excessive production of free radicals or ROS can damage sperm, testes and can cause serious chemical damage to biomolecules (DNA, proteins, and unsaturated lipids) which ultimately lead to cell death and cause infertility. The cell has several protective mechanisms that minimize the toxic potential of these reactive oxygen species. These include the low oxygen tension in the tissue and also the elaborate array of antioxidant enzymes and free radical scavengers it contains; to ensure that the spermatogenic and steroidogenic functions of this organ are not impacted by oxidative stress.