title: Testis and epididymis of the Indian wall lizard (Hemidactylus flaviviridis): effects of flutamide on FSH and testosterone influenced spermatogenesis, Leydig cell, and epididymis.
abstract: To determine the separate spermatogenic actions of FSH and testosterone, adult male lizards Hemidactylus flaviviridis with recrudescent testes were administered the non-steroidal antiandrogen flutamide either alone or in combination with FSH or testosterone, and the histology and histochemistry of the testes and ductus epididymides were studied. Flutamide-treated animals displayed a marked hypertrophy of Leydig cells. A few spermatids were also seen in testis of more than half the animals treated with flutamide. Flutamide also produced a significant increase of primary spermatocytes; no spermatids were observed in controls. A significant inhibition of spermatogenesis was noted in lizards treated either with testosterone alone or in combination with flutamide. Ovine FSH treatment caused a significant stimulation of spermatogenesis, as indicated by the increase of primary and secondary spermatocytes and the transformation of secondary spermatocytes into spermatids or, in a few cases, into spermatozoa. A considerable depletion of sudanophilic lipid and moderate delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity was noted in the Leydig cells of FSH-treated animals indicating enhanced steroidogenesis. Similar results were obtained when lizards were treated with flutamide + FSH. The effects of simultaneous treatment of flutamide with FSH or testosterone on ductus epididymidis revealed that flutamide markedly inhibited the epithelial cell height and lumen diameter with a loss of luminal content when compared to FSH or testosterone-treated lizards.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Advanced Study in Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D005485:Flutamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D005485:Flutamide; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone