title: [Ultrastructural changes of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule-after alcohol consumption].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Xiaoshan First Hospital Affiliated to Hangzhou Normal College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311200, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yong-jiu
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhao-dian
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chao-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Fu-jin
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zhong-mu
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xiao-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol