Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the key angiogenins which can increase microvascular permeability and promote endothelial cell migration, proliferation and tube formation. This paper reviews the location of VEGF in the prostate, testicular and epididymis tissues, the modulation of VEGF expression, and the relationship between VEGF-induced angiogenesis changes and some diseases in the male reproduction system.
Humans ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Prostate ; blood supply ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; physiopathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; Testis ; blood supply ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; physiology

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 observe the hemodynamic and histological effects of unilateral testicular torsion on the contralateral testis in immature rats, and compare the results of different treatments.

METHODSTesticular torsion models were established in 3-week-old rats and randomized into a normal control, a testicular torsion, a reposition and an orchiectomy group. The systolic peak velocity of the right testicular artery was measured by color Doppler before and 8, 12, 24 and 72 h after the operation. Histological observations of the right testes were performed 2 h after testicular torsion, 12 h after testicular reposition and orchiectomy and when the rats were 9 weeks old.

RESULTSThe blood supply of the immature right testes increased continuously after testicular torsion of the left side. Interstitial edema and ultrastructure changes were observed in the testicular torsion, reposition and orchiectomy groups. The right testis weight was significantly greater in both the testicular torsion and orchiectomy groups than in the normal control group of the 9-week-old rats (P < 0.01). No significant differences were noted in the right testicular seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) , count measure spermatogenic (CMSE) and testicular biopsy score (TBS) among the four groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUnilateral testicular torsion increases blood supply and induces histological changes in the contralateral testis in immature rats. Reposition and orchiectomy following light injury are prognostic of similar results.

Animals ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Testis ; blood supply ; pathology ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the mechanism of genitofemoral nerve in the contralateral testes damage of unilateral cryptorchid rats.

METHODSAfter unilateral cryptorchid rat model (21-day) was made and the ipsilateral genitofemoral nerve was divided, the germ cells apoptosis and the concentrations of lactate of contralateral testes were detected and compared after 120 days.

RESULTSAfter the ipsilateral genitofemoral nerve was divided, the germ cells apoptosis and the lactate levels of the contralateral testes were all decreased from (17.28 +/- 1.36)% to (5.76 +/- 0.76)% and (2.19 +/- 0.24) mmol/L to (1.70 +/- 0.31) mmol/L, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe damage pathway of the contralateral testes of unilateral cryptorchidism probably related to the apoptosis of the germ cells which caused by the reflex decrease of the contralateral testicular blood flow via the transmissions of genitofemoral nerve.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cryptorchidism ; pathology ; Lactic Acid ; blood ; Male ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Spermatozoa ; pathology ; Testis ; blood supply ; innervation ; pathology

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute viral disease characterized by fever, hemorrhage, and renal failure. Among the various hemorrhagic complications of HFRS, the spontaneous rupture of an arteriovenous malformation of the testicular vessels with a retroperitoneal hematoma is a rare finding. Here, we report a case of HFRS complicated by a massive retroperitoneal hematoma that was treated with transcatheter arterial embolization.
Adult ; Arteriovenous Malformations/*complications ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Hematoma/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome/*complications ; Humans ; Kidney Cortex/blood supply ; Male ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Testis/blood supply

OBJECTIVETo assess the influence of spermatic vein and artery ligation on testicular hemodynamics, spermatogenesis and testis volume in varicocele patients.

METHODSEighty-eight varicocele patients were randomly divided into a spermatic vein and artery ligation (n = 46) and a spermatic vein and artery preservation group (n = 42). The testicular hemodynamic parameters, testis volume and results of semen analyses were obtained before and 6 months after the surgery and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in peak systolic velocity (V(max)), end diastolic velocity (V(min)), mean enveloped velocity (V(mean)) and V(min) of the capsular artery (CA) either between the ligation and preservation groups (P > 0.05) or between pre- and post-operation (P > 0.05). Sperm density, vitality and motility were significantly improved after surgery (P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). No significant difference was found in the testis volume between the two groups before and after the operation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSpermatic vein and artery ligation in varicocelectomy does not affect the testicular hemodynamics, spermatogenesis and testis volume of varicocele patients. Both the spermatic vein and artery should be ligated when necessary.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arteries ; surgery ; Humans ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Testis ; blood supply ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Veins ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective: To explore the effect of spermatic vein ligation under the microscope in the treatment of varicocele (VC). METHODS: A total of 120 VC patients received in our department from September 2011 to February 2015 were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group of equal number, the former treated by microscopic spermatic vein ligation and the latter by conventional open high ligation. Comparisons were made between the two groups of patients in the internal diameters of the spermatic vein during eupnea and Valsalva maneuver, the reflux time of the spermatic vein, blood flow parameters of the testicular artery, and semen quality before and at 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: At 3 months after surgery, the experimental group, as compared with the control, showed significantly decreased reflux time of the spermatic vein (［0.41 ± 0.10］ vs ［1.08 ± 0.10］ s, P <0.05) and peak systolic velocity (9.26 ± 1.35 vs 10.64 ± 1.28, P <0.05) and resistance index (0.52 ± 0.03 vs 0.61 ± 0.03, P <0.05) of the testicular artery but markedly increased internal diameters of the spermatic vein during eupnea (［1.63 ± 0.07］ vs ［1.59 ± 0.06］ mm, P <0.05) and Valsalva maneuver (［1.72 ± 0.05］ vs ［1.68 ± 0.07］ mm, P <0.05), sperm concentration (［46.84 ± 5.24］ vs ［35.35 ± 4.26］ ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05), sperm motility (［63.75 ± 7.73］ vs ［53.87 ± 6.46］ %, P <0.05), and total sperm count (［89.54 ± 7.95］ vs ［75.24 ± 8.43］ ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS Microscopic spermatic vein ligation has a definite effect in the treatment of varicocele, which can significantly improve the testicular blood flow and semen quality of the patient.
Humans ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Perineum ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Spermatozoa ; Testis ; blood supply ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Veins ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo evaluate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in detecting testicular perfusion in acute testis contusion.

METHODSWe established the model of testis contusion in 11 healthy male New Zealand rabbits by randomly hitting one side of the scrotum under general anesthesia. We examined the bilateral scrotums of all the animals before, immediately after and at 2, 4 and 6 hours after modeling by color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and CEUS, and analyzed the time-intensity curve (TIC), arriving time (AT), time to peak intensity (TTP), peak intensity (PI), half time of descending peak intensity (HT) and area under the curve (AUC) in the healthy and injured testis, respectively.

RESULTSCEUS exhibited a higher sensitivity in detecting tissue perfusion than CDFI. The mode of contrast agent perfusion in testicular contusion was fast in and slow out. There were no evident differences between the contused and the healthy testis in AT, TTP and PI before modeling. The contused testis showed significantly earlier AT and TTP, higher PI and larger AUC (P < 0.05) than the healthy one at different time points after modeling, but no statistically significant difference was found in HT (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAccurate parameters of testicular perfusion in acute testis contusion can be quantitatively obtained by CEUS, which are of important value for the diagnosis of testis contusion.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; Contusions ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Rabbits ; Testis ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of evaluating complete ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) of the testis by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with microbubbles (MB) targeted to P-selectin (MBp) in rabbits.

METHODSWe randomly divided 30 healthy adult rabbits into five groups of equal number (control, 0.5 h IRI, 1 h IRI, 2 h IRI, and 4 h IRI), prepared phospholipid MB and MBp, and performed contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the bilateral testes with MB or MBp at an interval of 20 min at different times after IRI. When MB or MBp disappeared completely in the healthy testis at 4 to 5 min after intravenous injection, we recorded the power of the first frame (F-P) in the IRI testes followed by immunohistochemical staining of the testis tissue.

RESULTSCEU with MBp achieved a significantly higher F-P than that with MB in all the IRI groups (P < 0.05), which was (8.34 +/- 1.20) versus (1.87 +/- 0.25) 10(-5) AU at 2 hours, but there was no significant difference between MB and MBp in the control rabbits (0 AU, P > 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed a significantly time-dependent increase in the expression of P-selectin in the vascular endothelial cells of the IRI testes, but not in those of the control.

CONCLUSIONContrast-enhanced ultrasonography with MBp can be used to evaluate the inflammatory reaction of testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Antibodies ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Microbubbles ; P-Selectin ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; diagnostic imaging ; Testis ; blood supply ; Ultrasonography

AIMTo report two cases of the left testicular artery arching over the left renal vein (LRV) before running downward to the testis.

METHODSThe subjects were obtained from two Japanese cadavers. During the student course of gross-anatomical dissection, the anatomical relationship between the testicular vessels and the renal vein was specifically observed.

RESULTSThe arching left testicular artery arose from the aorta below the LRV and made a loop around the LRV, which appeared to be mildly compressed between the arching artery and the psoas major muscle.

CONCLUSIONClinically, compression of the LRV between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery occasionally induces LRV hypertension, resulting in varicocele, orthostatic proteinuria and hematuria. Considering that the incidence of a left arching testicular artery is higher than that of a right one, an arching left artery could be an additional cause of LRV hypertension.

Aged, 80 and over ; Arteries ; abnormalities ; Constriction, Pathologic ; complications ; Humans ; Hypertension ; etiology ; Male ; Renal Veins ; pathology ; Testis ; blood supply