Effects of Catuaba Cristal (R) on the Testis of Wistar rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible beneficial effects of Catuaba Cristal (R) (CC), an alcoholic drink made from wine and Erythroxylum catuaba Ar. Cam on testis. Wistar rats either received CC solution (n=8) or water (n=9). Results showed significant body weight reduction within the CC group, although, no weight changes were observed for liver, kidney, testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate. The volumetric proportion and volume of interstitial tissue and lymphatic space were reduced in the treated group. In the CC group, although the nuclear volume of Leydig cells (LC) decreased, the number of LC per testis increased. These results suggested that CC had no beneficial effect on spermatogenesis of Wistar rats.545901906Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG

Colon Cancer and Swimming Exercise: Effect on Wistar Rat Testes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)This study was undertaken to determine whether colon cancer (CC) and chronic swimming exercise alter rat testis. Eleven weeks old rats were distributed into control group (n=6) and the groups that were induced to develop CC by dimethylhydrazine injections (nEG, EG0, EG2 and EG4; n=10 each group). In the group nEG, the rats did not swim, whereas groups EGO, EG2 and EG4, underwent a swimming program with distinct loads (0, 2 and 4% of body mass, respectively) for 35 weeks. The morphometry, stereology and cell counts showed damage caused by the CC on the germ epithelium. These results were noteworthy since this was the first report to associate the CC with testicular damage. Swimming exercise had no significant role in reducing, or increasing the CC effects on the testis, despite having slightly improved the testis structure of the exercised rats without load. In conclusion, CC caused testis impairment, which could not be avoided by the swimming exercise.564557566Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Organization and Seasonal Quantification of the Intertubular Compartment in the Bat Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1776) Testis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Environmental factors can influence the reproductive rates in bats, and since morphometric information of bats testis is scarce, we aimed to compare the organization and quantification of the intertubular components in the testes of the bat Molossus molossus, collected in different seasons. Testicular histological sections were evaluated using light and electron microscopy. The intertubular compartment occupied an average 10% of the testes, being predominately constituted of Leydig cells (LC). The percentages of the testes occupied by the intertubular compartment and by LC were significantly higher in summer, while the other intertubular components did not vary significantly among the seasons. As suspected under light microscopy, the ultrastructural analysis confirmed the existence of multinucleated LC during winter. The increase in the nuclear percentage of LC in winter seems to have caused the decrease of the cytoplasmatic measurements in that season, as well as in the volume of LC. The highest cytoplasmatic values and volume of LC registered in the spring, summer, and fall can be related to greater activity of this cell in these seasons. The higher investment in intertubular tissue and in LC observed in summer, compared to winter; suggest an increase in the steroidogenic capacity of this bat during summer. The analyses correlating testicular morphometry and abiotic environmental factors in this study confirm the influence of climatic factors on the reproduction of M. molossus. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76: 94-101, 2013. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.76194101Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Histomorphometric evaluation of the neotropical brown brocket deer Mazama gouazoubira testis, with an emphasis on cell population indexes of spermatogenic yield

Information on the reproductive biology of neotropical cervids is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform biometric, histologic and stereologic analyses of the brown brocket deer Mazama gouazoubira testis, with an emphasis on the intrinsic yield and the Sertoli cell index. Seven adult males kept in captivity were used. The animals were immobilized; anesthetized and testicle fragments were obtained by biopsy incision. The material was fixed, processed and examined by routine histological methods for light microscopy. The average body weight was 17.2 kg, from which 0.40% were allocated in gonads and 0.33% in seminiferous tubules, which represented 85.9% of the testis parenchyma. The mean albuginea width and volume were 345.7 mu m and 3.5 mL (5.3% of the testicular weight), respectively. The mean mediastinum volume of both testicles was 1.0 mL (1.5% of the testicular weight) and the testicular parenchyma volume corresponded to 93.1% of total testicular weight (64.9 g). The seminiferous tubules diameter was 224.4 mu m, while the epithelium height was 69.6 mu m. On average, an adult brown brocket deer showed a total of 1418 m of seminiferous tubules in both testicles (21.5 m per gram of testis). Each stage I seminiferous tubular cross section contained 1.10 type A spermatogonia, 13.4 primary spermatocytes in pre-leptotene/leptotene, 13.7 spermatocytes in pachytene, 48.8 round spermatids and 3.7 Sertoli cells. The general yield of spermatogenesis was 44.7 cells and the Sertoli cell index was 13.2. The qualitative and quantitative description of testicular histology of brown brocket deer help to understand its spermatogenic process and to establish parameters for the reproductive biology of this wild species. Furthermore, the data from the present research will help further studies using other species of Brazilian cervids, especially endangered ones, making an additional effort to the species preservation. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.12741732202212State Forest Institute (IEF-MG