ABSTRACT
Cell apoptosis is an active process of the self-destruction of biological cells, which is an important mechanism of multicellular organisms regulating the development of the body, controlling cell senescence, and maintaining the stability of the internal and external environment of the body. As a basic biological process of keeping the balance in the body, cell apoptosis also plays an important role in cell differentiation and sperm maturation and survival in the testis. In spermatogenesis, any change may affect cell apoptosis and consequently upset the balance between the survival and death of germ cells. Current studies have shown that the mitochondrial pathway, cell death receptor pathway and endoplasmic reticulum pathway are essential for the apoptosis of germ cells in the testis and the factors in the three pathways interact with one another, forming a complex network for the regulation of cell apoptosis. This review focuses on the mechanisms of the three pathways regulating the apoptosis of testicular germ cells.
