Effect of electromagnetic pulse exposure on permeability of blood-testicle barrier in mice.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) exposure on the permeability of blood-testicle barrier (BTB) in mice.


METHODS
Adult male BALB/c mice were exposed to EMP at 200 kV/m for 200 pulses with 2 seconds interval. The mice were injected with 2% Evans Blue solution through caudal vein at different time points after exposure, and the permeability of BTB was monitored using a fluorescence microscope. The testis sample for the transmission electron microscopy was prepared at 2 h after EMP exposure. The permeability of BTB in mice was observed by using Evans Blue tracer and lanthanum nitrate tracer.


RESULTS
After exposure, cloudy Evans Blue was found in the testicle convoluted seminiferous tubule of mice. Lanthanum nitrate was observed not only between testicle spermatogonia near seminiferous tubule wall and sertoli cells, but also between sertoli cells and primary spermatocyte or secondary spermatocyte. In contrast, lanthanum nitrate in control group was only found in the testicle sertoli cells between seminiferous tubule and near seminiferous tubule wall.


CONCLUSIONS
EMP exposure could increase the permeability of BTB in the mice.
Wang
Xiao-Wu
XW
Department of Radiation Medicine, Faculty of Preventive Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China.
Ding
Gui-Rong
GR
Shi
Chang-Hong
CH
Zhao
Tao
T
Zhang
Jie
J
Zeng
Li-Hua
LH
Guo
Guo-Zhen
GZ
D000818:Animals; D001814:Blood-Testis Barrier / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005070:Evans Blue; D007811:Lanthanum; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010539:Permeability / Q000528:radiation effects; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects
D004396:Coloring Agents; C016534:lanthanide nitrate; D005070:Evans Blue; D007811:Lanthanum