Objective To study the expressions of VEGF and its receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in the seminiferous tubules of chronic arsenic poisoning rats, to explore their relationships with the male infertility and the mechanism of male sterility. Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e. high-dose arsenic exposure group (60.0 mg/L), medium-dose arsenic exposure group (12.0 mg/L), low-dose arsenic exposure group (2.4 mg/L), and control group (distilled water). The rats were treated with arsenic through drinking water for 6 consecutive months. In the end of the experiment, expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 were detected by immunohistochemistry, the grey values of apoptosis cells in the seminiferous tubular epithelia of the rats were determinated by TUNEL method, the sperm morphology and sperm motility were observed. Results Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression levels of VEGF and VEGFR2 in the arsenic exposure groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). TUNEL method results showed that compared with the control group, the grey values of apoptosis cells in the seminiferous tubular epithelia of the rats obviously decreased in the arsenic exposure groups (P < 0.05); with the increase of arsenic exposure dose, the grey values of apoptosis cells in the seminiferous tubules showed a trend of decrease. Compared with the control group, the number of normal sperms decreased, the sperm deformity rate increased and the sperm motility dropped in the arsenic exposure groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions Chronic arsenic poisoning affects expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 in seminiferous tubules of rat testis and can cause apoptosis of seminiferous epithelial cells, resulting in male infertility.