title: Effect of acute and chronic simulated high altitude on male reproduction and testosterone level.
abstract: Forty, sexually mature, male rats were divided into two control and two treated groups. One of the treated groups was exposed five times to 6000 m of high altitude (acute exposure), and the other treated group was exposed 70 times (chronic exposure). Acute exposure had no pathological effect on the male reproductive tract or blood testosterone level; however, in animals that received chronic exposure, there was significant reduction in plasma testosterone level, 80% of spermatogenic tissue was highly vacuolated, nuclei of the interstitial tissue revealed pyknosis, and dilation of the blood vessels was noted throughout the testis.
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone