TESTICULAR AND GERM-CELL TOXICITY - IN-VITRO APPROACHES

Research on testicular toxicology has been advanced significantly by t he introduction of in vitro testing systems. In vivo systems, however, are still essential parts of the risk assessment process, and they ar e unlikely to be eliminated by in vitro model systems. While in vivo s ystems are needed to study the integrated male reproductive system, in vitro systems are uniquely suited to investigate specific mechanisms of action in the testis. In vitro systems substantially improve the in terpretation and use of in vivo systems. In vitro models can be used a lone or in combination with each other to test hypotheses about testic ular toxicity. Numerous systems are described in the literature, inclu ding Sertoli-germ cell cocultures, Sertoli cell-enriched cultures, ger m cell-enriched cultures, Leydig cell cultures, and Leydig-Sertoli cel l cocultures. These systems have been used to test relative toxicologi c activity of selected chemicals in a class, to investigate the cellul ar response to certain toxicants, to study the metabolic capability of cells, and to describe the interaction of adjacent cell types.