OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of male infertility caused by varicocele by evaluating the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) therapy on the testicular tissue morphology and function of rabbit model with varicocele(VC).

METHODSTwenty-four mature male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: pseudo-operation, VC model and VC model administered by HBO. Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left "lumbotesticular" trunk vein in rabbits. HBO was administered to one of the two groups of VC model rabbits after the operation. Weight and volume of both testes, parameters of seminal fluid, histological changes of testicular tissues, MTDs, TFI, and Sertoli cell index (SI) of seminiferous tubules were studied.

RESULTSThe average weight and volume of the left testes significantly increased in the rabbits treated by HBO. The semen quality was improved, and MTDs increased significantly compared with VC group(P < 0.0001). The testicular tissue morphology became nearly normal in VC + HBO group.

CONCLUSIONS1. Both the structure and spermatogenetic function of testes can be damaged by the presence of varicocele; 2. Chronic ischemia, anoxia and microcircular dysfunction may be the key process and essential factor that make varicocele contributive to testicular damage and spermatogenetic dysfunction; 3. HBO can effectively alleviate, even eliminate, chronic ischemia, anoxia and microcircular dysfunction in testicular tissues with varicocele, and thus protect the structure and functions of testes.

Animals ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Male ; Rabbits ; Testis ; blood supply ; pathology ; Varicocele ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of high power microwave (HPM) radiation on the structure and function of blood-testis barrier (BTB) in rats.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-six male Wistar rats were treated by heart perfusion of lanthanum-glutaraldehyde solution and tail vein injection of evans blue (EB) at 6 h, 1, 3, 7 and 14 d after exposed to 0, 10, 30 and 100 mW/cm2 HPM radiation for 5 minutes, the structural change of BTB and distribution of lanthanum or EB observed through the light microscope, electron microscope and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM).

RESULTSTesticular interstitial edema, vascular congestion or hyperemia with accumulation of plasma proteins and red blood cells in the inner compartment of seminiferous tubules were observed after exposure to HPM. The above-mentioned pathological changes were aggravated at 1-7 d and relieved at 14 d after radiation, obviously more severe in the 30 and 100 mW/cm2 exposure groups than in the 10 mW/cm2. Both lanthanum precipitation and EB were deposited in the inner compartment.

CONCLUSIONHPM radiation may damage the structure and increase the permeability of BTB.

Animals ; Blood-Testis Barrier ; pathology ; physiopathology ; radiation effects ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of testis murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection on mature sperm viability in mice.

METHODSBALB/c mice without MCMV infection, screened by ELISA, were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 64) and a control group (n = 40). The former were directly inoculated with MCMV into the testis, while the latter treated by inoculation of DMEM without MCMV. The mice in both of the groups were sacrificed respectively at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 d postinoculation (D1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 14, 21, 38 PI), the testis was examined histopathologically, and meanwhile the viability of mature sperms in the epididymis cauda was measured.

RESULTSMCMV basophil inclusion bodies were found in the Leydig cells in the experimental group, and spermatogenic cells were vacuolated and arranged disorderly. Compared with the control group, the sperm viability in the experimental group was decreased significantly by 71.42% to 56.04% (P < 0.05) on D1 PI.

CONCLUSIONThe sperm viability in mice might be descended significantly by MCMV infection in the early period, but restored to normal with time. This shows that MCMV infection might influence procreation transiently.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; physiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Random Allocation ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testicular Diseases ; pathology ; physiopathology ; virology ; Testis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of varicocele on the volume discrepancy of bilateral testes, and the relationship between testicular volume discrepancy and semen parameters.

METHODSThis study included 181 varicocele patients and 102 normal fertile men without varicocele. We retrospectively analyzed their clinical data, including the grades and locations of varicocele, testis volume and semen parameters.

RESULTSBilateral testicular volume discrepancy was found in 132 (72.9%) of the varicocele patients (including 117 cases of left testicular hypotrophy [88.6%]), and 35 (34.3%) of the non-varicocele fertile men. The rates of bilateral testicular volume discrepancy were 61.3%, 3.5%, 20.9% and 14.3% in the grade-III, grade-II, grade-I and non-varicocele groups, respectively (P < 0.05), with statistically significant differences among different age groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm and sperm motility were reduced differently with different degrees of testicular volume discrepancy (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONTesticular volume discrepancy is more common in men with left varicocele, and its prevalence and degree are correlated with the grade of varicocele. Semen quality decreases with the increase of testicular volume discrepancy.

Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Testis ; pathology ; Varicocele ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of unilateral cryptorchidism on the levels of serum anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B in children.

METHODSWe enrolled 65 patients with unilateral cryptorchidism and 45 healthy children in this study. We measured the length and circumference of the penis, the testis volume in the cryptorchidism side, and the levels of serum AMH and inhibin B at the age of 6 and 12 months, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy controls, the patients with unilateral cryptorchidism showed significant decreases at 12 months in serum AMH (［108.06±12.40］ vs ［103.26±17.57］ ng/ml, P<0.05) and inhibin B (［77.43±5.66］ vs ［70.21±5.69］ pg/ml, P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the length and circumference of the penis and the testis volume in the cryptorchidism side at 6 and 12 months (P>0.05), or in the levels of serum AMH and inhibin B at 6 months (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUnilateral cryptorchidism affects the gonadal function of the patient, and orchiopexy should be timely performed in order to reduce its impact.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Cryptorchidism ; blood ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Inhibins ; blood ; Male ; Orchiopexy ; Organ Size ; Penis ; pathology ; Testis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of diet-induced obesity on the developmental process of testes in pubertal rats.

METHODSEighty 21-day-old male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=32) and an experiment group (n=48), and fed respectively on a normal diet and a high-fat diet. And changes in the body weight, Lee's index, testis weight and epididymis weight were measured at the end of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th week after the treatment, that is, when the rats were 6, 7, 8 and 9 weeks old. The concentrations of testosterone and estradiol were determined by Access immunoassay system and the morphological alterations in testis development observed by HE staining.

RESULTSThe body weight of the high-fat group obviously increased at the end of the 3rd week (P < 0.05), 26.6% heavier than that of the control by the end of the 6th week (P < 0.01), and Lee's index was also obviously increased (P < 0.01). Compared with the controls, the testicular coefficient declined in the high-fat group at the end of the 5th and 6th week (P < 0.05), plasma TG and TC remarkably increased, the testosterone level obviously decreased (P < 0.05), estradiol concentration lowered at the end of the 3rd, 4th and 5th week but dramatically increased at the 9th, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). Microscope examination showed that spermatogenic epithelial cells were arranged in disorder, the spermatogenic cell layers reduced and the number of mature sperms reduced.

CONCLUSIONHigh-fat diet can induce nutritional obesity in pubertal rats, which in turn may lead to the underdevelopment of the testis and the abnormal level of gonadal hormones.

Animals ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Weight ; Diet Fads ; Epididymis ; growth & development ; pathology ; Male ; Obesity ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; growth & development ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of dietetic hyperlipidemia on the development of testes and penises in male New Zealand rabbits.

METHODSThe animal model of dietetic hyperlipidemia was established by feeding 36 male New Zealand rabbits which were divided into the test group (n = 20) and the control group (n = 16) at random with rich fat. The concentration of TC, TG, HDL-C as well as LDL-C was determined by using automatic biochemistry analyzer. Radioimmunoassay methods were used to measure the level of T, LH and FSH as well. Alterations of testicular and penial development in morphology were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, concentrations of TC, TG and LDL-C increased dramatically as well as the levels of T, LH and FSH decreased obviously. There are significant differences between the two groups (P <0.01). Compared with the control group, the penial length was short (P < 0.05) and testicular coefficient declined (P < 0.01) in the test group. With light microscope, the following phenomenon was manifestly detected: the sabotage of spermatogenic epithelium and the adipocyte sedimentation of the penial tissue.

CONCLUSIONIt is obvious that intaking a large quantity of food with rich fat from juvenile would induce dietetic hyperlipidemia, result in the functional disorder of hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis, and leads to short penis in development and the damage of spermatogenesis function as well.

Animal Feed ; Animals ; Diet ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hyperlipidemias ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of immunological orchitis on spermatic specific enzyme and fertility.

METHODSExperimental allergic orchitis (EAO) model of guinea pigs was duplicated. The histological and morphological changes of spermatic acrosomal protease and hyaluronidase, lactate dehydrogenase, sperm in epididymis and testes were observed by means of enzyme kinetical spectrophotometry and gelatin fixation of substrate thin membrane.

RESULTSThe activity of acrosomal protease, hyaluronidase and spermatic cytoplasmic lactic dehydrogenase in the epididymis acrosomal enzyme system became low, and so did the quality of sperm in epididymis. Remarkable morphological changes of spermatogenic cells developed in the convoluted seminiferous tubules.

CONCLUSIONSEAO remarkably affects the fertility of male guinea pigs. The orchis and epididymal sperms might be the sites of action.

Acrosin ; metabolism ; Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; enzymology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fertility ; physiology ; Guinea Pigs ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Orchitis ; enzymology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Spermatozoa ; enzymology ; pathology ; Testis ; pathology

Diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by complicated factors, and its damage to the male reproductive system is threatening men's health. This article reviews the pathophysiological changes in the diabetes-damaged male reproductive system and the mechanism of these changes. Oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia plays an important role in working damage to the reproductive system of diabetic males, for which some anti-oxidative substances may prove to be an effective cure.
Androgen-Binding Protein ; biosynthesis ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Sertoli Cells ; secretion ; Testis ; pathology ; Testosterone ; biosynthesis

The changes of blood perfusion of contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion remain controversial. In this study, 28 New Zealand white male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. Group A (n = 8), the control group, underwent a sham operation on the unilateral testis without inducing testicular torsion. In groups B, C, and D (n = 5 each), unilateral testicular torsion was induced, and, after 3, 6 or 24 h, respectively, detorsion was performed. In group E (n = 5), permanent unilateral testicular torsion was applied. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was used to observe the blood perfusion of the contralateral testis at the following stages: pre-torsion (preopration), immediately post-torsion (postopration), pre-detorsion, immediately post-detorsion, and late-stage post-detorsion (6-12 h post-detorsion in groups B-D) or at a similar time point (15-21 h post-torsion in group E). Time-intensity curves were generated, and the following parameters were derived and analyzed: arrival time, time to peak intensity, peak intensity, and half-time of the descending peak intensity. The analysis revealed that blood perfusion of the contralateral testis increased immediately after testicular torsion on the opposite side (P < 0.05), which increased with prolonged testicular torsion of the other testis. This research demonstrated that contrast-enhanced ultrasound was valuable in evaluating blood perfusion of the contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion.
Animals ; Contrast Media ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Rabbits ; Regional Blood Flow ; physiology ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Testis ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography