Effect of experimental varicocele on structure and function of epididymis in adolescent rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of experimental left varicocele (ELV) on epididymal structure and function in adolescent Sprague-Dawley rats.


METHODS
ELV was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein. Sham-operated animals served as the controls. Four and 8 weeks after the operation, the histological, ultrastructural and biochemical (alpha-glucosidase activity and carnitine content) changes in different segments of the epididymis were observed.


RESULTS
In the treated animals, there were degeneration of the epididymal epithelium and edema of the interstitial tissue; numerous shedding cells, residual bodies, deformed sperm and macrophages appeared in the epididymal lumen. Morphometric measurement indicated a significant reduction in the epididymal tubular diameter (P<0.05) and a significant increase in the epididymal interstitial area (P<0.05) compared with the controls. Ultrastructural study showed sparse microvilli of the columnar epithelium, increased and enlarged lysosomes in the principal cells with defected organelles and the presence of large cytoplasmic vacuoles. The protein and carnitine contents and the alpha-glucosidase activity in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis of the ELV rats were lower than those of the controls (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There were structural and functional changes in the epididymis of adolescent ELV rats, which may contribute to the infertility caused by varicocele.
Zhang
Qiu-Yang
QY
Department of Histology & Embryology Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Qiu
Shu-Dong
SD
Ma
Xiao-Nian
XN
Yu
He-Ming
HM
Wu
Yan-Wan
YW
D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism; D004822:Epididymis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014646:Varicocele / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000378:metabolism
D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D002331:Carnitine