Degeneration and restoration of spermatogenesis in relation to the changes in Leydig cell population following ethane dimethanesulfonate treatment in adult rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate degeneration and restoration patterns of spermatogenesis in relation to the changes in Leydig cells (LCs) after treatment with ethane dimethanesulfonate (EDS).


METHODS
Adult Wistar male rats were treated with EDS at a dose 75 mg/kg body weight and the testes were sampled at 7, 14, 21, 35 and 49 days after treatment for histological and ultrastructural studies.


RESULTS
During the first two weeks after treatment stage dependent loss of germ cells was found within seminiferous tubules that led to a profound disturbance of spermatogenesis. The restoration of seminiferous epithelium followed also in stage specific manner and in relation to development of a new LC population (third week). The development of new LCs after EDS treatment repeats the normal dynamics of postnatal LC development within a similar time range.


CONCLUSIONS
EDS treatment of rats causes a temporary germ cell degeneration in the testis. The kinetics of disappearance of germ cells and their regeneration broadly follows the changes in LC population.
Bakalska
M
M
Institute of Experimental Morphology and Anthropology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. mbakalska@dir.bg
Atanassova
N
N
Angelova
P
P
Koeva
I
I
Nikolov
B
B
Davidoff
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008698:Mesylates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012670:Seminiferous Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D008698:Mesylates; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C002994:ethylene dimethanesulfonate