Marine copepods are the important components of marine zooplankton as well as the primary consumers in marine ecosystem. The contamination of marine copepods by heavy metals can significantly affect other marine organisms or even human beings through food chains accumulation and transfer. This paper reviewed the physiological responses to the toxicity of heavy metals and the accumulation of metals in copepods, in addition of trophic transfer. We also point out some directions for further study, including the toxic speciation of heavy metals in copepods, the physiological and biochemical effects of dietborne metals, and further more, the impacts of heavy metals on copepods life history.