Background Several studies have described an increasing frequency of male reproductive
disorders, which may have a common origin in fetal life and which are hypothesized to be
caused by endocrine disruptors. Phthalate esters represent a class of environmental
endocrine-active chemicals known to disrupt development of the male reproductive tract by
decreasing testosterone production in the fetal rat. Objectives Using the organ culture
system we developed previously, we investigated the effects on the development of human …