Testicular Histology (testicular + histology)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita: Testicular histology before puberty

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2007
MAYAKO MORII
First page of article [source]


Serum inhibin B and follicle-stimulating hormone levels as markers in the evaluation of azoospermic men: a comparison

ANDROLOGIA, Issue 5 2005
A. Halder
Summary Inhibin B is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by Sertoli cells of the testes in the adult male. It selectively suppresses the secretion of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and has local paracrine actions in the testes. Its measurement is useful for investigating the role of inhibin B in male gonadal dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of serum inhibin B in men with nonobstructive azoospermia in comparison with FSH. Serum concentration of FSH was measured using microparticle enzyme immunoassay, inhibin B by specific solid phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in men with nonobstructive azoospermia (n = 46) and control fertile men (n = 5). Mean inhibin B and FSH level was 104.6 pg ml,1 and 4.0 mIU ml,1 in control men whereas the value for nonobstructive azoospermic men was 17.06 pg ml,1 and 31.1 mIU ml,1 respectively. Inhibin B and FSH levels were significantly different in azoospermia than controls (P < 0.0001). There were six cases of nonobstructive azoospermia with normal inhibin B. Testicular histology did not find any evidence of spermatogenesis in three cases with normal inhibin B. This demonstrated that inhibin B was not a superior predictor for testicular function in our study. [source]


Prenatal developmental toxicity studies of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p, p,-DDT) in rats and rabbits

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 4 2001
Ken L. Takahashi
ABSTRACT, The studies were conducted in rats and rabbits to elucidate the potential developmental toxicity of p, p'-DDT in general accordance with the improved Japanese MAFF guidelines (12-Nousan-No. 8147,2,1,18, 2000). p, p'-DDT suspended in 1% aqueous solution of CMC was administered orally to pregnant Jcl:SD rats on gestational days (GD) 6,19 at a dose of 0,5, 25, or 100 mg/kg/day and to pregnant KbI: JW rabbits on GD 6,27 at a dose of 0,5,20, or 80 mg/kg/day. Maternal animals were killed on the day after the last day of administration for morphological examination of their fetuses with special attention to the reproductive organs. Adverse effects on maternal animals were found only at the highest dose in both species; i.e., clonic convulsion (2/24 in rats, 5/22 in rabbits), mortality (1/24 in rats), abortion or premature delivery (4/22 in rabbits), and reduced body weight gains and food consumption. However, the control and treated groups showed comparable values for the numbers of corpora lutea and implants, percent preimplantation losses, number of live fetuses, percent resorptions and fetal deaths, sex ratio, fetal body weights, and placental weights in both species, and anogenital distance and testicular histology in rats. Although fetal examination revealed slightly increased incidence of 27 presacral vertebrae in the highest dose group in rats, there was no treatment-related increase in the incidence of malformations in any of the species. Based on these results, it is concluded that p, p'-DDT causes no malformations, including male reproductive organ abnormalities, in either rats or rabbits, although it results in an increased incidence of skeletal variations in rats at a maternally toxic dose. [source]


Epoxiconazole causes changes in testicular histology and sperm production in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2008
Konstanze Grote
Abstract The fungicide epoxiconazole (Epox), a triazole, belongs to the group of azole compounds that are extensively used as fungicides in various fruit crops. The frequent use of agricultural lands for wintering by migrating birds can be the source of their increased dietary intake of agricultural pesticides. We investigated whether exposure to Epox causes effects on avian fertility and reproduction, using the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) as a model species for the assessment of reproductive effects of pesticides in wild birds. Epox was administered to adult Japanese quail for three weeks at dietary levels of 10, 50, and 500 ppm, and possible effects on reproduction were investigated. Epox administration resulted in a significantly decreased number of spermatids in the 50- and 500-ppm dose groups. Histopathology showed a reduced number of testicular canaliculi with visible germ cells and a reduction in spermatid number. However, testis weight was not affected up to the highest dose level. No impact was observed on hormone levels, fertility, and reproductive outcome, as laying rate and percentage of fertile eggs were not altered. Likewise, treatment had no influence on the egg or chick parameters evaluated. A time- and dose-related transfer of Epox into the eggs was determined in all treatment groups. We conclude that dietary treatment of Japanese quail with 50 and 500 ppm of the triazole fungicide Epox resulted in a clear impact on the testis. The evaluation of the additional endpoints spermatid count and testicular histology have proven useful and are recommended for future studies on avian reproduction. [source]


Leptin levels in infertile male patients are correlated with inhibin B, testosterone and SHBG but not with sperm characteristics

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 5 2007
Branko Zorn
Summary In the present study, differences in leptin levels between different groups of male patients presenting with infertility problems and possible correlations between leptin levels and clinical, spermiological, histological and hormonal characteristics were examined. Two hundred and ten male partners from infertile couples were included in the study. Based on clinical examination, spermiogram and testicular histology results, patients were divided into four groups: 42 men with non-obstructive azoospermia, 15 men with obstructive azoospermia, 68 men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and 85 men with normozoospermia. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), inhibin B, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and leptin were measured. After adjustment for body mass index, there was a negative correlation between serum levels of leptin and inhibin B, total testosterone and SHBG (r = ,0.189, p = 0.009, r = ,0.250, p = 0.001 and r =,0.221, p = 0.003 respectively) but there was no correlation between leptin and classical sperm characteristics. Our results therefore demonstrate a link between leptin and testicular function, independently of FSH and LH, possibly involving testosterone and SHBG through a regulation of Leydig cell function. [source]


Comparison of the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia in the first cycle: a report of case series and meta-analysis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 1 2005
MOHAMED GHANEM
Summary To investigate the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection with fresh and cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa in the first cycle in patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), a total of 90 cases, 48 OA and 42 NOA were studied. All patients underwent sperm retrieval by testicular sperm extraction (TESE) while their wives received conventional ovarian hyperstimulation. The hormone levels, testicular histology, the rates of sperm retrieval, fertilization, implantation and pregnancy were analysed and evaluated. This study and other four similar studies were subjected to meta-analysis. Sperm retrieval was successful in 100% OA and 61% NOA. Fresh spermatozoa were used in 87.5% and 92.4% of OA and NOA cases respectively; while cryopreserved-thawed spermatozoa were used in 12.5% and 7.6% of OA and NOA, respectively. The fertilization, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were 65.5%, 15% and 25% respectively in OA group, and 54.2%, 5% and 23.1% respectively in NOA group. Sperm status (fresh or thawed), male partner's age, female age and male serum follicle-stimulating hormone had no significant effect upon fertilization rate, implantation rate, or pregnancy rate per embryo transfer. The results of meta-analysis indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in clinical pregnancy rates between the two groups. There was a significantly higher fertilization rate among OA patients in all analysed studies (95% CI = 14.29,15.71, d.f. 832, T = 1.96). In conclusion, although the fertilization rate was significantly higher in the OA group in our study and from the given meta-analysis, there were some differences as regards pregnancy rates. Although the overall effect was more or less similar pregnancy rates in both subtypes of azoospermia, this may not be true if non-male infertility variables were controlled for in all studies. [source]


Clinical analysis of patients with azoospermia factor deletions by microdissection testicular sperm extraction

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2004
Akira Tsujimura
Summary Microdeletions of the azoospermia factor (AZF) locus on the Y chromosome have been implicated as a major genetic component of idiopathic male infertility, and the incidence of AZF deletions has been reported to be 15,20% in men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Numerous studies have described AZF deletion rates in patients with azoospermia; however, a clinical comparison of azoospermic patients with AZF deletion and those with no deletion has not been reported well. A new technique for testicular sperm extraction, microdissection testicular sperm extraction (TESE), has been used widely on NOA patients. Although testicular spermatozoa are reliably detected and retrieved from NOA patients by microdissection TESE, sperm retrieval rates for patients with AZF deletions are not well known. Therefore, characteristics of NOA patients with AZF deletion were investigated. Six of 60 patients (10%) who underwent microdissection TESE were found to have AZF deletions by genomic polymerase chain reaction. Testicular data, outcome of sperm retrieval and endocrinological profiles, were compared between patients with AZF deletions (n = 6) and those with no deletions (n = 54). Testicular size, varicocele rates and testicular histology were similar between the groups. Significant differences were not detected in the endocrinological profiles. Sperm retrieval rates were not significantly different between the groups. In conclusion, AZF deletions do not appear to confer specific characteristics to NOA patients. [source]


Effect of experimentally induced Escherichia coli epididymo-orchitis and ciprofloxacin treatment on rat spermatogenesis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 3 2007
Aslan Demir
Abstract: We investigated the effects of epididymo-orchitis and ciprofloxacin on rat testicular histology and spermatogenesis. The control group underwent left orchiectomy. The second group received oral ciprofloxacin (150 mg/kg/day) for 10 days. Escherichia coli (106 cfu/mL, 0.1 mL) was injected into the proximal right ductus deferens in the third group. The fourth group received ciprofloxacin treatment 48 h after E. coli inoculation. In groups 3 and 4, bilateral orchiectomy was performed 14 days after the challenge. In healthy rats, ciprofloxacin caused recognizable histological damage associated with a mild decrease in testicular volume and sperm concentration. Infected testicles in groups 3 and 4 revealed severe histological damage associated with severe testicular atrophy and impaired spermatogenesis that were more significant in infected rats which received ciprofloxacin treatment. Contralateral testicles in these animals showed similar histopathological changes to a lesser extent. The results of our study suggest a gonadotoxic potential for ciprofloxacin and this potential in humans should be addressed with further studies. [source]


Relationship between adult dark spermatogonia and secretory capacity of Leydig cells in cryptorchidism

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2007
Dragana Zivkovic
In a paper from Switzerland, the authors describe the relationship between adult dark spermatogonia and the secretory capacity of Leydig cells in cryptorchidism. OBJECTIVE To examine whether hormonal therapy before orchidopexy affects the histology of the testis and to assess the responsiveness of the Leydig cells, as it has been shown that although basal plasma testosterone levels are within the ,normal' range in cryptorchid boys there is an insufficient increase of testosterone after a human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulation in ,,30% of cryptorchid boys. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 55 boys (aged 1,7 years) with a unilateral undescended testis were included in the study and divided into two groups. Group I (32 boys) received hormonal therapy before orchidopexy; 17 boys received a long-acting LHRH analogue (buserelin) administered as a nasal spray in doses of 20 µg/day for 28 days, followed by 1500 IU hCG intramuscularly (i.m.) once a week for 3 weeks, and the remaining 15 received 1500 IU hCG i.m. once a week for 3 weeks. Group II (33 boys) had orchidopexy alone. During orchidopexy biopsies were taken from the undescended and contralateral descended testes of the boys in both groups for histological analyses. Variations in the number of adult dark (Ad) spermatogonia per tubule (Ad/T) were assessed and testosterone levels were measured during the course of the hormonal therapy (before treatment, 14 days after initiation of buserelin administration, 24 h after each hCG injection, and 3 months after cessation of therapy). RESULTS In group I, 17 boys (53%) had a ,normal' Ad/T after hormonal treatment vs only six (18%) in group II after orchidopexy alone (P = 0.019). In the hormonally treated boys (group I) we compared the testosterone values 24 h after the second injection of hCG (when the response was most pronounced). Those with a normal Ad/T had a mean (sd) testosterone level of 199.5 (97.6) ng/dL vs 99.6 (85) ng/dL in those with an inadequate Ad/T response to hormonal therapy (P < 0.003). CONCLUSION We have confirmed that there are two subgroups of cryptorchid boys. Patients with a sufficient Leydig cell secretory capacity will have normal testicular histology and Ad spermatogonia count after hormonal treatment. While those with a suboptimal Leydig cell capacity will have a low Ad spermatogonia count and consequently poor prognosis for future fertility, despite successful surgery. As to whether different types and durations of the hormonal therapy in patients with impaired Leydig cell response could lead to improved testicular histology and consequently improved prognosis for future fertility, remains to be answered. [source]


Regional differences in maturation of germ cells of cryptorchid testes: role of environment

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 8 2009
Dragana Zivkovic
Abstract Objective:, To investigate differences in maturation of germ cells in cryptorchid testes in three different regions. Patients and methods:, A total of 103 consecutive patients were operated for unilateral undescended testis in Vojvodina, from March 2006 until September 2007, and had a testicular biopsy performed. Germ cells were counted, and the presence of Ad spermatogonia was noted. Biopsies were compared to biopsies of similar patients from two different regions: Philadelphia, USA (130), and Liestal, Switzerland (55 patients). Results:, In Vojvodina, 84.5% of patients had Sertoli cells only, or some spermatogonia, but no Ad spermatogonia, and 15.5% had Ad spermatogonia. In Philadelphia, 59.3% of patients had poor testicular histology, and 40.7% had Ad spermatogonia. In Liestal, 61.8% of patients had no, or some, spermatogonia, but no Ad spermatogonia, and 38.2% had Ad spermatogonia. There was a difference (p = 0.000025) between the patients with normal testicular histology from Philadelphia and those from Vojvodina, as well as between the patients from Vojvodina and Liestal (p = 0.0027). Conclusion:, The reduction in the number of germ cells in patients with cryptorchidism from Vojvodina is more pronounced than patients from either Switzerland or USA. This is a unique observation, since such a study has not been published yet. [source]