Lung fluke, Paragonimus heterotremus, is a flatworm causing pulmonary paragonimiasis in cats, dogs, and humans in Southeast Asia. We examined the ultrastructure of the testis of adult P. heterotremus with special attention to spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The full sequence of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis, from the capsular basal lamina to the luminal surface, was demonstrated. The sequence comprises spermatogonia, spermatocytes with obvious nuclear synaptonemal complexes, spermatids, and eventual spermatozoa. Moreover, full steps of spermatid differentiation were shown which consisted of 1) early stage, 2) differentiation stage representing the flagella, intercentriolar body, basal body, striated rootlets, and electron dense nucleus of thread-like lamellar configuration, and 3) growing spermatid flagella. Detailed ultrastructure of 2 different types of spermatozoa was also shown in this study.
Animals ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Paragonimus/*physiology/*ultrastructure ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa/ultrastructure ; Testis/ultrastructure

Humans ; Male ; Metaphase/physiology* ; Sex Chromosomes/ultrastructure* ; Spermatocytes/ultrastructure* ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis/ultrastructure*

OBJECTIVESTo study the effect of testicular local heating on spermatogenic cell apoptosis in rat.

METHODSSeventy male SD rats were divided into heat treatment group (43 degrees C) and control group (22 degrees C). Each group was further divided into seven sub-groups respectively according to the time of 12 hours and 1 days, 3 days, 6 days, 10 days, 50 days and 80 days after testicular local treatment. The spermatogenic cell apoptosis in all sub-groups was examined by means of electron microscopy, flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUDP-nick end labeling(TUNEL) method.

RESULTSIn the groups of heat treatment, spermatogenic cell apoptosis was detected by electron microscopy; flow cytometry showed that the percentage of cells with sub-haploid increased(P < 0.01); the percentage of positive TUNEL cells in the heat treatment groups was higher than that in the control group(P < 0.01). Initiation of spermatogenic cell apoptosis after testicular heating was not random but was highly selective.

CONCLUSIONSLocal testicular heating could increase the spermatogenic cell apoptosis. The most sensitive cell is spermatocyte. Spermatid and sperm also display apparent changes. Heating can increase the apoptosis of spermatogonia in a long period.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Flow Cytometry ; Hot Temperature ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Testis ; pathology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of vinyl chloride on reproductive and endocrine system of male rats.

METHODSMale SD rats were administered with vinyl chloride at dose of (0, 10, 100, 1000 mg/kg) for 14 and 28 days, respectively. The levels of testosterone (T), inhibin B, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) were measured in serum and testis homogenates. Histopathological examinations were performed for testis with electron microscopy.

RESULTSCompared with the control group after 14-day exposure, T and E2 serum levels of 1000, 100, 10 mg/kg groups decreased, InhB and LH levels of three dose groups increased. LH serum levels of 100 mg/kg increased significantly statistically compared with control group (P < 0.05). After 28-day exposure, T serum levels of 100, 1000 mg/kg groups were (10.90 +/- 1.56), (8.52 +/- 2.85) ng/ml respectively (P < 0.05), InhB serum levels of 100, 1000 mg/kg groups were (31.40 +/- 6.21), (28.39 +/- 5.67) pg/ml respectively. Both of T and InhB serum levels of 100, 1000 mg/kg groups decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Serum FSH levels of 10, 100, 1000 mg/kg groups decreased significantly compared with control group (P < 0.05). Compared with groups of 14-day exposure, serum InhB and LH levels of 10, 100, 1000 mg/kg groups decreased significantly statistically after 28 days. T and InhB testis levels of 100, 1000 mg/kg groups were 8.05 +/- 2.19),(6.75 +/- 1.94) ng/mg pro and (39.32 +/- 5.55), (35.53 +/- 8.71) pg/mg pro respectively, which decreased significantly compared with control group (P < 0.05). Leydig cell and Sertoli cell were damaged according to histopathological examinations.

CONCLUSIONVinyl chloride has adverse effects on reproductive and endocrine system of male rats and may change their serum and testis homogenate levels of hormones.

Animals ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Leydig Cells ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Rats ; Sertoli Cells ; ultrastructure ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood ; Vinyl Chloride ; toxicity

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effects of infrasound on ultrastructure of testis in mouse.

METHODSTwelve male BALB/C mice were randomly divided into three groups according to exposed duration on 1, 7 and 14 day. The mice were separately exposed to infrasound environment under 8 Hz/90 dB, 8 Hz/130 dB, 16 Hz/90 dB, 16 Hz/130 dB 2 hours per day. There was another control group which had three mice were separated into module with no infrasound. All the mice were killed on schedule. Then all the sections of testis were observed under electronic microscope. The alterations of structure and the chromatin were observed.

RESULTSSome acute alteration in one day group was found in testis cell, such as cellular denaturation and necrosis, intercellular edema, mitochondria swelling, liposome hyperplasia. When the infrasound was up to 8 Hz/130 dB, the damage showed seriously. In 7 and 14 day group, the acute alteration was gradually decreased. A plenty of abnormal sperm were found. And other alteration was chromatin condense. The effect of variational frequency was important in ultrastructure.

CONCLUSIONSThe infrasound markedly effected to testicular cell morphology and secreting function. Infrasound will lead to the alteration of procreation in mouse.

Animals ; Cell Size ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mitochondrial Swelling ; Sound ; adverse effects ; Testis ; secretion ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the effects of varicocele (VC) on IL-1 and NO levels in testes of rats with VC.

METHODSMale adult Wistar rats were divided into two groups randomly, VC group (n = 30) and pseudo-operation group (n = 20), and the levels of IL-1 and NO in the testes were determined and compared.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-1 and No of left tests in VC group were higher than those in pseudo-operation group, respectively(P < 0.01). While the levels of IL-1 and NO of right testes between two groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). More over, the level of IL-1 correlated significantly with that of NO(r = 0.572, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe results revealed that the changes of IL-1 and NO levels in the testes of rats with VC might be the reason which caused testes damage, disturbance of spermatogenesis and even infertility.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testis ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Varicocele ; metabolism

To study the expression of mTERT gene in the testis of SD rats and its significance, in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques were used to detect the expression of telomerase gene mTERT mRNA in the testis of SD rats. The expression of mTERT was detectable in different-age male SD rats testis. There was a positive correlation between the expression of mTERT and the location of germ cells (spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatid). In Sertoli cells, leydig cell and spermatozoa, telomerase mTERT was not detected. Type A spermatogonia expressed the highest level of telomerase mTERT mRNA. Our results suggest that the expression of mTERT gene in the testis of SD rats is of lifetime and coincide with the telomerase activity.
Animals ; Catalysis ; Cell Differentiation ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Male ; RNA ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatids ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; Spermatogonia ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Spermatozoa ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Telomerase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Testis ; enzymology ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo explore a method to isolate and purify the subtype of type A spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs).

METHODSWe isolated spermatogonia by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation, sorted c-kit-expressed cells with the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), observed their ultrastructure by electron microscope, and performed immunohistochemistry to determine the expression of c-kit in the testis.

RESULTSThe c-kit positive cells constituted (18.65 +/- 1.69) % of the testis cells that were isolated by density gradient centrifugation, but made up only (3.16 +/- 0.84) % of those that were not (P < 0.01). The rates of recovery and viability of the c-kit positive cells sorted by FACS were (65.90 +/- 1.24)% and (85.60 +/- 1.14)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONWith c-kit as the marker, FACS can effectively isolate and purify the subtype of SSCs after preliminarily purified by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation.

Animals ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; biosynthesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Testis ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on DNA of testicular cells and sperm chromatin structure in mice.

METHODSMice were exposed to 50 Hz, 0.2 mT or 6.4 mT electromagnetic fields for 4 weeks. DNA strand breakage in testicular cells was detected by single-cell gel electrophoresis assay. Sperm chromatin structure was analyzed by sperm chromatin structure assay with flow cytometry.

RESULTSAfter 50 Hz, 0.2 mT or 6.4 mT EMFs exposure, the percentage of cells with DNA migration in total testicular cells increased from the control level of 25.64% to 37.83% and 39.38% respectively. The relative length of comet tail and the percentage of DNA in comet tail respectively increased from the control levels of 13.06% +/- 12.38% and 1.52% +/- 3.25% to 17.86% +/- 14.60% and 2.32% +/- 4.26% after 0.2 mT exposure and to 17.88% +/- 13.71% and 2.35% +/- 3.87% after 6.4 mT exposure (P < 0.05). Exposure to EMFs had not induced significant changes in S.D.alphaT and XalphaT, but COMPalphaT (cells outside the main population of alpha t), the percentage of sperms with abnormal chromatin structure, increased in the two exposed groups.

CONCLUSION50 Hz EMFs may have the potential to induce DNA strand breakage in testicular cells and sperm chromatin condensation in mice.

Animals ; Chromatin ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Comet Assay ; DNA ; analysis ; radiation effects ; DNA Damage ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Flow Cytometry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Spermatozoa ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Testis ; cytology ; radiation effects

AIMTo study the contraceptive effect of the crude extracts of Curcuma longa in male albino rats.

METHODSRats were fed orally with Curcuma longa aqueous and 70% alcoholic extract for 60 days (500 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1)).

RESULTSA reduction in sperm motility and density was observed in both the treated groups.

CONCLUSIONCurcuma longa may have affected the androgen synthesis either by inhibiting the Leydig cell function or the hypothalamus pituitary axis and as a result, spermatogenesis is arrested.

Animals ; Contraceptive Agents, Male ; pharmacology ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Epididymis ; anatomy & histology ; Leydig Cells ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Seminiferous Tubules ; ultrastructure ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology