title: Antifertility effects of methylmethane sulphonate on male reproductive organs of wild Indian house rat: histological and histochemical characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of methylmethane sulphonate (CH3OSO2CH3), on the testicular tissue of the adult wild Indian house rat (Rattus rattus).
  
  
  METHODS
  A single intraperitoneal dose of methylmethane sulphonate (20 mg/kg) was administered and the effects were observed 2, 7, 15, 30 and 45 days later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant changes of the body, testes and accessory reproductive organs weight and a major depletion of the relative percentages of the spermatid and spermatozoa were noticed at 2, 7, 15 and 30 days after treatment. Gradual decrease in the seminiferous tubular area and Sertoli cell nuclear diameter was observed at 7, 15 and 30 days of treatment groups. The sperm population and sperm morphological abnormalities were also noticed in these three groups. Histochemical studies clearly revealed that the intensity of staining of the acid and alkaline phosphatase within 7 and 15 days after treatment was decreased, while the quantity of lipid materials was increased especially on the 2nd and 7th day after treatment. However, no significant changes were noticed in the delta5-3beta-HSDH and 17beta-HSDH enzymatic activity in the treated animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations showed the antispermatogenic activity of methylmethane sulphonate on the testicular tissues and various accessory reproductive organs in the wild Indian house rat (Rattus rattus).
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, Nadia, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Santra
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Manna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000473:pathology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013087:Spermatids / Q000473:pathology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate