Morphological effects of pesticides on the mammalian ovarian follicle.

Along with the widespread use of pesticides in the world, the concerns related to their impact on human health, and on reproductive health in particular, are rapidly growing. In this paper we have reviewed the effects of mancozeb, a fungicide commonly used to protect fruit and vegetables, on the mammalian ovarian follicles, with particular regard to the morphological changes induced by this substance on the oocyte and granulosa cells. Even if the mechanisms by which mancozeb may specifically act on female reproductive organs are largely unknown, data on experimental animals in vivo have demonstrated that this fungicide may induce several alterations in the estrous cycle. In addition, when used in vitro at concentrations comparable to that judged too low to be harmful for human health, this fungicide impairs oocyte meiotic spindle assembly, oocyte competence to fertilization and granulosa cell morphodynamics in the mouse. All these data suggest a role for this fungicide as a probable inductor of infertility also in exposed human population.