Effects of hypobaric hypoxia on the Leydig cell population of the testis of the rat.
A group of ten young adult male Wistar albino rats was exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at a barometric pressure of 380 mmHg for 28 days. After this period their testes were of smaller weight (and volume) in comparison with matched controls (1.220 vs 1.553 g; P less than 0.005). Histological examination revealed degeneration and sloughing of spermatogenic cells in occasional tubules. Quantitative methods also revealed a marked difference in the volume of the testis occupied by Leydig cells. These were of a significantly smaller total volume in the hypoxic animals (0.046 vs 0.083 ml; P less than 0.001) and this could not be accounted for merely by the smaller overall testicular volume.
D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002452:Cell Count; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000473:pathology*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000473:pathology