This study was undertaken to determine the effects of various durations of testicular torsion in prepubertal rats on their subsequent fertility, and to determine whether these effects could be altered by removal of the torsioned testis. Sixty rats (35 days old) were subjected to 720 degrees unilateral spermatic cord torsion for 0, 1, 3, 5, 9, or 12 hours. The torsioned testis was then either detorsioned or removed. At 65 days of age each male was housed with two females for three weeks. Rats undergoing detorsion of the spermatic cord demonstrated a linear decrease in fertility with respect to the duration of torsion (r = -0.904). However, all of the animals undergoing unilateral torsion with subsequent orchiectomy were fertile, regardless of the duration of torsion. In addition, the percentage of females impregnated, the number of embryos produced, and the mean embryo size decreased with increasing intervals of torsion (r = -0.834 to r = -0.979); the sharpest decline occurred between 5 and 9 hours of torsion. All of these parameters were significantly lower (P less than 0.001 to P less than 0.05) in the detorsioned group as compared to the orchiectomized group. There was a decrease in seminiferous tubule diameter in the contralateral testis with respect to the duration of torsion (P less than 0.01). These data indicate that unilateral spermatic cord torsion in young rats significantly reduced their subsequent fertility with respect to duration of the torsion, and that this detrimental effect may be minimized if the damaged testis is removed rather than untwisted and replaced into the scrotum.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Regulation of rat caput epididymidis contractility by prostaglandins.

Mechanical activity of the rat caput epididymidis in vitro was recorded using a videomicrography system. The effects of prostaglandin (PG)F2 alpha, PGE2, and aspirin on caput epididymidis contractility were determined by measuring the frequency of contraction, luminal diameter, and amplitude of contraction at various concentrations of each test compound in vitro. PGF2 alpha stimulated contractility of the tubules at physiological concentrations, while PGE2 reduced contractility. Aspirin strongly inhibited contractility at concentrations of 10(-3) and 10(-2)M. Endogenous levels of PGF2 alpha and PGE were determined for rat testes, caput, corpus, and cauda epididymidis and vas deferens. While the concentrations of PGE were consistently higher than those of PGF2 alpha, both compounds were relatively low in the testes, high in the vas deferens, and intermediate throughout the epididymis. Results from these experiments strongly suggest that PGs are important regulators of proximal epididymidis contractions and thus may regulate sperm transport through that organ.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Histopathology of prepubertal rat testes subjected to various durations of spermatic cord torsion.

Sixty prepubertal rats were subjected to unilateral spermatic cord torsion for a duration of 0, 1, 3, 5, 9 or 12 hours. At the end of this period, the ipsilateral testes either were removed for immediate processing or subjected to detorsion and orchiopexy, followed by a six-week recovery period prior to histologic study. Twelve histologic parameters were each scored according to the degree of pathologic findings, thus allowing for a quantitative assessment of testicular damage. The sequence of specific histologic degeneration that occurred with spermatic cord torsion is described. These changes were found to be dependent on the duration of torsion, with the greatest damage occurring after three hours or more. In the animals undergoing detorsion followed by a six-week recovery period, severe degeneration was noted for all durations of torsion studied. The extent of this degeneration was significantly correlated with a reduction in fertility.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Identification of a potential FSH modulatory protein in human testis and seminal plasma.

A variety of factors capable of inhibiting the in vitro binding of FSH to its receptor have been identified in gonadal tissues from males and females. Interest in these factors has been stimulated because of their potential role as local modulators of gonadotropin action. Studies reported here were undertaken to determine if proteins having antigenic homologies with human FSH or an "FSH-like" protein isolated from porcine follicular fluid were present in human testicular tissue or seminal plasma. Polyclonal antibodies were generated against fractions of porcine follicular fluid containing FSH receptor binding inhibitory activity, FSH agonist activity in vitro, and a 58,000 Mr protein recognized by human FSH antiserum. Antiserum against this fraction of porcine follicular fluid and antiserum against human FSH were used to probe Western blots of proteins from human testis homogenates or seminal plasma. A 58,000 Mr protein was identified in both human testis extract and seminal plasma. This protein appears to be related antigenically to both human FSH and the 58,000 Mr "FSH-like" protein in porcine follicular fluid. It does not appear to be a metabolic degradatory product of human FSH since the protein is larger than FSH, does not dissociate into subunits under reducing conditions and is recognized by the antiserum to FSH-like protein that does not recognize human FSH. These data identify a 58,000 Mr protein in human testis and seminal plasma that may represent a local modulator of FSH action in the testis.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Some morphologic and biochemical observations of semen in nemestrina monkeys destined for space flight.

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