Age-related effects of transection of the testicular blood vessels on subsequent testicular development in the pig.
Pigs of different ages were studied to assess the effect of age on the development of the testes after intra-abdominal transection of the testicular artery and vein. Transection of the testicular artery and vein at different stages of sexual development had a variable effect on the growth and differentiation of the testes. Transection performed at a young age (2 months) had no effect on the development of the testes (previous study). The animals used in this study were between 3 and 12 months (adult) at the time of surgical intervention. Their testes appeared to be more sensitive to disturbance of the main blood supply. The alternative vascular pedicle (vasal artery) was unable to adapt sufficiently to the increased physiological requirements of the testis during development in more than 50% of the animals. The results obtained from adult males indicate that intra-abdominal transection of the testicular vessels invariably has a deleterious effect on the testis.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013552:Swine; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D014680:Veins