ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00473.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryThe morphological relationship between transabdominal testicular descent and the `swelling reaction' of the gubernaculum was investigated in oestrogen‐treated fetal mice by using scanning electron microscopy (scanning EM). In addition, flutamide was also administered to pregnant mice to determine whether androgens cause gubernacular growth and transabdominal testicular descent in offspring. In oestrogen‐treated fetal mice, scanning EM showed that both the gubernacular ‘swelling reaction’ and transabdominal testicular descent were inhibited, in addition to inhibition of Müllerian duct regression. The gubernaculum showed a flat, thin bulb (widest diameter 0.25 ± 0.04 mm) and an elongated cord (1.28 ± 0.41 mm) after oestrogen treatmentin utero, which was significantly different in appearance from that in normal control mice (width 0.44 mm ± 0.06 mm,p<0.001; length 0.27 ± 0.19 mm,p<0.0001). However, flutamide‐treated mice showed much more normal gubernacular enlargement and transabdominal testicular descent. The width of the gubernacular bulb after flutamide exposure was 0.44 ± 0.05 mm, which was comparable to that in control animals; the length of the intra‐abdominal gubernaculum (0.44 ± 0.15 mm) was slightly longer than in controls (p<0.02).These results suggest that both the swelling reaction of the gubernaculum and transabdominal testicular migration are blocked by prenatal exposure to oestrogen. However, oestrogen exposure of the fetus does not block the swelling reaction of the gubernaculum by acting

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00474.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryThe influence ofE. colion human sperm motility was studied in vitro. Semen samples were prepared by a swim‐up technique and adjusted to 22 times106spermatozoa/ml. Samples were then inoculated with different concentrations of a uropathogenic strain ofE. coli, serotype 06, with initial sperm/bacteria ratios varying between 10:1 and 10000:1.Motion parameters were analysed by computer‐aided motility analysis directly, and 2, 4 and 6 h after inoculation. In a second series of experiments, bacterial replication was inhibited by addition of chloramphenicol. In a third series, the effect ofE. coliculture filtrates on sperm motility was investigated.The direct inhibitory effect ofE. colion progressive motility of spermatozoa was found to depend upon the bacterial concentration. A distinct inhibitory effect was observed only at a sperm/bacteria ratio of approximately 1, achieved by growth ofE. coliduring the experiments. For modality of motion, no distinct changes were observed. When growth of bacteria was prevented by chloramphenicol, no inhibitory effect on sperm motility was detected. Sperm motility was not inhibited byE. coliculture filtrates. Analysis by electron microscopy revealed multiple adhesions ofE. colito spermatozoa, causing variable ultrastructural damage as probable morphological correlates of immobilizat

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00475.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryOxytocin is localized to the Leydig cells of the testis in the rat and several other species where it is postulated to play a role in steroidogenesis and seminiferous tubule contractility. Oxytocin has also been detected in the epididymis of the ram where active uptake of the peptide from luminal fluid has been demonstrated. This study was performed to investigate whether oxytocin is present in the rat epididymis, and the origin of the peptide. Immunoactive oxytocin was detected in the epididymis of all control animals examined (147.7±41.7 pg/g). Total epididymal oxytocin was reduced significantly following castration (p<0.05). Testosterone treatment also reduced the epididymal concentration of the peptide in both intact and castrated rats. Efferent duct ligation (EDL) did not affect the presence of oxytocin in the epididymis. Immunoactive oxytocin was localized in discrete cells of the epithelium of the caput epididymis, with less staining apparent in the initial segment and cauda epididymis. Staining disappeared from the caput epididymis following castration, but reappeared following testosterone supplementation. No obvious alteration in staining was observed in the cauda epididymis after EDL.These data demonstrate for the first time the presence of oxytocin in the epididymis of the rat and that the peptide may be regulated by androgens. They further suggest an epididymal source of the peptide

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00476.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryFor successful fertilization, a functionally constituted sperm plasma membrane is necessary, and this is clearly dependent on the sperm maturation process. The latter involves a series of complex changes which result from a sequence of events occurring at different points within the epididymis. The transit time through the epididymis can be influenced by external factors such as sexual stimulus and ejaculatory frequency. The present work was undertaken to determine changes in ram sperm viability and other sperm quality characteristics in relation to ejaculatory frequency.Three successive ejaculates were collected from rams during three different abstinence periods (collected every day, every 2 days and every 3 days). Cell viability (membrane integrity determined by fluorescence staining), progressive individual motility, and otherin vitroparameters of sperm quality were evaluated. Second ejaculates showed the highest cell viability of the three periods studied, and increased as the abstinence period lengthened. The maximum proportion of viable cells (average 60%) was obtained in the second ejaculate after an abstinence period of 3 days. Likewise, overall and progressive individual motilities were higher in second ejaculates, the maximum value being 70% after 3 days of abstinence. The percentage of damaged or acrosome‐reacted spermatozoa was greater after 1 day of abstinence than after the other periods analysed, whereas the first ejaculate showed the highest value in all periods.Differences in ejaculate volume were correlated strongly with both variables considered (abstinence period and ejaculate number). In the third ejaculate, about 27% more volume was obtained after 3 days of abstinence than after abstinence for 1 or 2 days. Sperm concentration increased significantly as the abstinence period lengthened, and also decreased significantly with ejaculate number in all cases. Therefore, the total number of spermatozoa in the ejaculate was clearly dependent on the abstinence period and the ejaculate number.In conclusion, the results obtained suggest that using the second and/or a mixture of second and third ejaculates would improve the results in artificial insemination and in fertility studies. In addition, the use of better quality semen would facilitate progress in semen cryopreservation studie

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00477.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryThe efficacy of hCG treatment was studied in 182 cryptorchid patients. The efficacy of the treatment correlated with the initial position of the testis. None of the abdominal testes reached a normal position, whereas 90% of high scrotal testes descended during the treatment. Fifty‐four boys who were treated unsuccessfully with hCG and 29 untreated boys were biopsied. The biopsies were performed on 32 scrotal and 87 maldescended testes to examine the state of the organ and the effects of hCG treatment. In biopsies, the volume densities of seminiferous tubules, interstitial tissue and blood vessels were counted, and the sections screened for interstitial bleeding. Significant differences between scrotal and maldescended testes were found in all of the volume densities measured. Interstitial bleeding occurred rarely in scrotal testes, whereas in maldescended testes it was frequently apparent. hCG treatment induced a significant increase in the volume density of both interstitial tissue and blood vessels. Even though the hCG treatment induced measurable, possibly harmful, changes both in scrotal and maldescended testes, our data do not prove that hCG treatment causes permanent damage to the testi

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00478.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryIn the testis, ‘hyalinization’ of the lamina propria of seminiferous tubules is often accompanied by similar changes within the walls of testicular blood vessels. The aim of our study was to investigate the structure of small blood vessels in hyalinized human testes by means of immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and image analysis methods. Results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that, despite hyalinization, testicular small blood vessels retained positive immunostaining for desmin and actin. Their basement membranes remained immunopositive for collagen IV and laminin. No proliferative (Ki‐67) activity was observed in the blood vessel walls in testes from both control and infertile men. P‐170 glycoprotein was found to be expressed only in primary spermatocytes. No difference in expression and localization of this antigen was observed between control and affected testes.Electron microscopy revealed a number of testicular arterioles with a notably narrow lumen due to enlarged endothelial cells in infertile men. Such arterioles also had a thickened subendothelial layer and an abundant tunica adventitia rich in connective tissue fibres and ground substance. Some venules in hyalinized testes displayed increased connective fibres and ground substance in the subendothelial layer, between the smooth muscle cells of the tunica media and the tunica adventitia. However, no changes were found in the capillary network, when compared to controls. Image analysis data showed a statistically significant increase in the surface of tunica intima and adventitia of arterioles and tunica media of venules. It is concluded that hyalinization mostly affects testicular arterioles and venules, but not capillaries. Our immunohistochemical data indicate that the ‘nature’ and/or extent of hyalinization in testicular small blood vessels differs from that described previously for the lamina propria of seminifer

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00479.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00480.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryIntracavernous injection (ICI) of prostaglandin‐E1(PGE1) is used widely as the first diagnostic test in the study of erectile dysfunction. However, a lack of full erection after a maximal dose is frequent. As well as vascular incompetence, this may be due to stress‐induced changes, related to the ICI procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of emotional disturbances on erectile response to ICI in impotent patients. Initially, 24 young men with non‐organic impotence (age 34.6 ± 1.5 years; mean ± SEM) were selected and randomized single‐blind to pharmacoerection with PGE1alone (20 μg/mL) or a mixture (cocktail) containing 20 μg PGE1plus an α‐adrenergic receptor blocker, phentolamine (Phe, 0.5 mg/mL). Additional studies were also performed double‐blind on 10 men with non‐organic impotence (age 37.6 ± 1.2 years) utilizing higher PGE1dosages for ICI (25 μg/mL alone or in combination with Phe, 0.5 mg/mL). After a 7‐day interval, all subjects were crossed‐over to receive the alternative treatment. The presence of emotional disturbances was assessed in all patients by the administration of rapid tests (Stai‐X1 and Stai‐X1r for state‐anxiety before and after ICI, respectively; Stai‐X2 for trait‐anxiety; Zung‐test for depression) at the first and at the remaining (Stai‐X1 and Stai‐X1r) ICI sessions.ICI with 20 and 25 μg/mL PGE1led to a comparable percentage of patients who reported a valid‐for‐intromission (VFI) erection (63 and 60%, respectively). In contrast, use of the cocktails significantly increased the percentage of subjects with a VFI (87 and 90% of the total number of patients tested, respectively;p<0.05). Moreover, a strong inverse correlation between state‐anxiety scores (Stai‐X1) and the erectile response to ICI with 20 and 25 μg PGE1was found (r= ‐0.69,p<0.001); such a correlation was not present in patients who underwent ICI with the cocktails. Two cases of prolonged erection occurred (one after 20 μg PGE1and the other after 20 μg PGE1plus Phe) which were reversed promptly by the intracavernous injection of metharaminol.It is concluded that the lack of a full erectile response after ICI with PGE1can be related to the presence of a high ‘state‐anxiety’ in the patients. In such patients, a VFI erectile response

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00481.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryThe association between alcohol‐induced disorders of human spermatogenesis and four restriction fragment polymorphisms (DraI,MspI,PstI andRsaI) of the cytochrome P450 2E1 gene was investigated in an autopsy study on 254 men. Acquaintances were interviewed and the mean daily alcohol consumption of the subjects was calculated on the basis of the interviews. Spermatogenesis score and testicular morphology were assessed by light‐microscopy, and cytochrome 2E1 polymorphic genotypes were determined using the polymerase chain reaction. Of the 204 heavy‐drinking men, 42 (20.6%) men had normal spermatogenesis (p<0.001, compared to moderate drinkers). Partial spermatogenic arrest was observed in 76 (37.3%) men and complete spermatogenic arrest in 79 (38.7%) men (p<0.001, compared to moderate drinkers), whereas seven men (3.4%) had Sertoli cell only syndrome. The overall allelic frequencies for the common and rare polymorphic alleles were 0.98 and 0.02 (MspI) and 0.99 and 0.01 (PstI andRsaI), respectively. No associations between heterozygosity in theMspI,PstI orRsaI loci, or the allelic frequencies of common and rare alleles, and disorders of spermatogenesis were observed. The allelic frequencies for the common and rare polymorphic alleies in theDraI locus were 0.90 and 0.10, respectively. No significant difference was observed, either among moderate or heavy drinkers, in the frequency of the rare allele between men with disorders of spermatogenesis and those with normal spermatogenesis in the respective group, although men with disorders of spermatogenesis in general had a slightly lower frequency of the rare allele when compared to those with normal spermatogenesis. In conclusion, we were unable to demonstrate a significant association between any polymorphisms in the CYP2E1 gene and disorders of spermatogenesis.RsaI,MspI andPstI polymorphisms were extremely rare in our population and could thus possibly be excluded as reasons for genetic susceptibility to disorders of spermatogenesis in our s

ISSN:0105-6263    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.1996.tb00482.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1996

数据来源: WILEY