Changes in testicular blood flow and testosterone production during aspermatogenesis after irradiation

1983 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wang ◽  
K. A. A. Galil ◽  
B. P. Setchell
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Capillary Permeability ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Testis Weight ◽  
Γ Irradiation ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Efferent Duct ◽  
Duct Ligation ◽  
Testicular Blood Flow

Exposure of the testes of anaesthetized adult rats to 527 rads of γ-irradiation caused testis weight to fall slowly at first and then more rapidly from 21 days afterwards, reaching a minimum at 52 days, when spermatogenesis was severely disrupted. The weights of the accessory organs and the concentrations of testosterone in peripheral blood were slightly reduced; the concentrations in blood from the testicular veins were lower than control at shorter intervals after irradiation, but at later times tended to be similar or greater than control. Testicular blood flow per testis followed testis weight closely, and as a result the production of testosterone by the smaller testes (calculated as the product of plasma flow and the veno–arterial difference in testosterone concentration) was markedly reduced especially when the rats had been stimulated with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Serum FSH and LH rose appreciably as testis weight fell but there was a proportionately greater rise in FSH than LH, in comparison with surgically castrated animals. Increased amounts of extratubular, extracellular fluid were found in the aspermatogenic testes, but injection of hCG still caused increases in capillary permeability and the amount of fluid in the testis. These results indicate that during aspermatogenesis following irradiation (as with heat and efferent duct ligation) the capacity of the testes to secrete testosterone is severely limited by decreased testicular blood flow, not by the ability of the Leydig cells to release testosterone into their immediate environment.

scholarly journals Limitations Imposed by Testicular Blood Flow on the Function of Leydig Cells in Rats in vivo

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
BP Setchell ◽  
KAA Galil
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Testis Weight ◽  
Single Exposure ◽  
Efferent Duct ◽  
Efferent Ducts ◽  
Duct Ligation ◽  
Testicular Blood Flow

Testis blood flow per testis closely follows testis weight in rats made aspermatogenic by a single exposure of the testis to 43�C for 30 min or 500 rad (5 Gy) of irradiation from a caesium source, or following ligation of the efferent ducts. Aspermatogenesis following these treatments was associated with only minor changes in the concentrations of testosterone in peripheral blood before stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and a reduced responsiveness to hCG when testis weight had fallen after heating. The concentrations of testosterone in testicular venous blood was normal or above normal during aspermatogenesis resulting from heat or irradiation, and only slightly reduced following efferent duct ligation.

EFFECT OF INJECTED HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN ON CAPILLARY PERMEABILITY, EXTRACELLULAR FLUID VOLUME AND THE FLOW OF LYMPH AND BLOOD IN THE TESTES OF RATS

1981 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. SETCHELL ◽  
R. M. SHARPE
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Capillary Permeability ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin ◽  
Lymph Flow ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Testicular Cells ◽  
Testicular Blood Flow

The subcutaneous injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) into adult male rats caused appreciable rises in capillary permeability and lymph flow in the testis, accompanied by smaller rises in the volume of extratubular, extracellular fluid. Most of these changes were already apparent 8 h after injection, but became progressively greater during the next 12 h. Testicular blood flow was unchanged at 12 h but increased slightly between 12 and 16 h after injection. The primary effect is probably the increase in capillary permeability. The timing of these changes suggests that HCG does not affect the capillaries directly, but it would seem that the changes are due to some substances secreted by the testis in response to the HCG. It is clear that these changes will have important influences both on the access to the testicular cells of peptide hormones in the blood and also on the passage into the venous blood of hormones secreted by the testis.

TESTICULAR BLOOD FLOW AND TESTOSTERONE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SPERMATIC VENOUS BLOOD IN RATS WITH EXPERIMENTAL CRYPTORCHIDISM

1978 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan-Erik Damber ◽  
Anders Bergh ◽  
Per Olof Janson
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Venous Blood ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Interstitial Tissue ◽  
Testicular Blood Flow ◽  
Cryptorchid Testis ◽  
Abdominal Testis ◽  
Main Factor

ABSTRACT Testicular blood flow and testosterone concentrations in the spermatic venous plasma were measured on unilaterally cryptorchid rats. Blood flow to the cryptorchid testis was 31.4 ± 11.7 (sd) ml/100 g x min which was significantly higher than that of the scrotal testis (17.7 ± 4.4 ml/100 gx. min) Stereological analysis showed a relative increase of blood vessel containing interstitial tissue in the cryptorchid testis, which was probably the main factor responsible for the relative increase of blood flow to the cryptorchid testis. The increase of interstitial tissue was greater than the increase of blood vessels and thus, the interstitium in the cryptorchid testis contained a number of vessels which was smaller than that of the interstitium in the scrotally located testis. The concentration of testosterone in the spermatic vein of the abdominal testis was 18.0 ± 5.5 (sd) ng/ml and the corresponding value for the scrotal testis was 41.2 ± 7.0 ng/ml. Calculations based on functional and morphological data indicate that the function of the Leydig cells in the abdominal testis was impaired. It was concluded that the outflow of testosterone from the cryptorchid testis was highly reduced.

A comparison of the effects of bilateral efferent duct ligation and of partial epididymectomy on the testes of rats

1990 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Soler ◽  
C Blazquez ◽  
J Pertusa ◽  
M Nunez ◽  
J Nunez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Seminiferous Tubules ◽  
Testis Weight ◽  
Efferent Duct ◽  
Efferent Ducts ◽  
Linear Decrease ◽  
Endocrine Effect ◽  
Duct Ligation ◽  
Exponential Decrease

Testis weight as a percentage of body weight did not change following bilateral ligation of the efferent ducts (EDL) close to the epididymis, whereas following removal of part of the epididymis between the site of ligation and a point close to the junction between the caput and corpus (PCE), testis weight first rose linearly until Day 4 and then showed an exponential decrease between Days 4 and 28. After EDL, the perimeter of the seminiferous tubules rose for the first 7 days and then remained elevated, whereas after PCE, there was a linear decrease between Days 4 and 28. Following EDL, the percentage of altered and degenerated tubular cross-sections rose to about 30% and 10%, respectively, during the first 7 days after operation and then remained constant; after PCE, the percentage of altered tubules reached a maximum of 54% by 4 days and then fell, whereas the percentage of degenerated tubules continued to rise to 95% by 28 days. It would appear that all the effects of removal of a portion of the epididymis cannot be explained by blockage of the excurrent ducts, and a specific endocrine effect of the epididymis on the testis is proposed.

EFFECTS OF ANTISERUM TO LUTEINIZING HORMONE ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF RAT LEYDIG CELLS

1980 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-NP ◽  
Author(s):  
B. GONDOS ◽  
A. RAO ◽  
J. RAMACHANDRAN
Keyword(s):  
Leydig Cells ◽  
Interstitial Cells ◽  
Rabbit Serum ◽  
Normal Rabbit Serum ◽  
Testis Weight ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
And Function ◽  
And Control

The influence of LH on morphology and function of Leydig cells was investigated in adult rats by selective neutralization of endogenous hormone with specific antibodies. Administration of antiserum to LH to mature male Sprague–Dawley rats for 8 days caused a significant decrease in testis weight and levels of testosterone in serum but had no effect on the overall number of interstitial cells per testis. The ability of interstitial cells isolated from antiserum-treated animals to produce testosterone in response to exogenous LH was also significantly lower than that of cells derived from animals treated with normal rabbit serum. Although the number of interstitial cells was similar in the treated and control groups, morphological studies indicated a major decrease in the number of fully differentiated Leydig cells in the antiserum-treated animals. Furthermore, neutralization of LH with antiserum resulted in disruption of the endoplasmic reticulum and accumulation of dense bodies resembling lysosomes in the Leydig cells. These results suggested that the primary trophic action of LH is to induce and maintain the steroidogenic capacity of the Leydig cells.

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