[Ultrastructural changes of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule-after alcohol consumption].
OBJECTIVE
To study the ultrastructural changes of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule after alcohol consumption.


METHODS
Forty-eight Wistar mature male rats were divided into two groups randomly: control group (A) and experimental one (B). 6 ml/(kg x d) of 50 degrees alcohol was perfused through the gastric tube for 39 days in Group B; and 6 ml/(kg x d) of normal saline was supplemented in Group A. The ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule was observed by transmission electron microscope at day 14, 27 and 40.


RESULTS
In Group A, the pykno-basement membrane was unstriated and uniform, Sertoli cells showed cytoplasmic profusion, with big nucleus, well-distributed nucleoplasm, distinct nucleolus, more mitochondria and plain hierarchical tight-junction. And the ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule in Group B began to change at the end of the first spermatogenic cycle (D 14) and changed more and more evidently with the ethanol administration, mainly as follows: (1) more lysosomes and vacuolisation found in Sertoli cells, and organelles decreased and blurry; (2) more and bigger vacuoles among the spermatogonia, Sertoli cells and basement membrane; (3) obvious apoptosis of spermatogonia and apoptotic bodies aggregated near the membrane; (4) more cytoplasm and vacuolisation in the sperm of the convoluted seminiferous tubule, and disarranged, deleted or clustered mitochondria in the sperm tail; (5) blurry and rigid tight-junction; (6) thickened, wrinkled or broken basement membrane and under-basement


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol can cause ultrastructural changes of the basement membrane, tight-junction and Sertoli cells of the membrane. rat convoluted seminiferous tubule and apoptosis of spermatogonia.
Jin
Ting
T
Department of Urology, The Xiaoshan First Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Normal College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311200, China.
Zhao
Yong-jiu
YJ
Chen
Zhao-dian
ZD
Shen
Li-ming
LM
Zhan
Chao-hui
CH
Ren
Fu-jin
FJ
Yao
Jie
J
Tang
Zhong-mu
ZM
Zhu
Xiao-feng
XF
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D000431:Ethanol