Effects of vasectomy on the blood-testis barrier of the hamster.
The effects of vasectomy on the blood-testis and blood-epididymal barriers to 3H2O, [3H]inulin, and [14C]urea were examined by study of the radioactivity appearing in micropuncture samples of fluids from the seminiferous tubules and cauda epididymidis. By 4 months after vasectomy, there were changes in the blood-seminiferous tubule barrier to [3H]water and [14C]urea (increased entry) and in the blood-epididymal barrier to [3H]water and [3H]inulin (increased entry) and to [14C]urea (decreased entry). These subtle changes could have an impact on spermatogenesis and/or sperm maturation after vasectomy.
D000818:Animals; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism; D007444:Inulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism; D014659:Vasectomy; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
D014867:Water; D014508:Urea; D007444:Inulin