Quantification of Rat Spermatogenesis in Late Puberty after Neonatal Hormonal Manipulation

Abstract

ABSTRACTIt has been known for many years that estrogens administration to experimental animals during the neonatal period or adulthood can impair sperm production and maturation. In earlier studies the negative effects of E were explained only as a result of suppression of gonadotropin secretion during the treatment. We aimed to assess GC development on day 35 (different GC types) in tandem with Sertoli cell support toward GCs (efficiency of spermatogenesis) by complex systems of quantitative criteria. We used experimental model for manipulation of neonatal hormonal environment by treatment with DES-10 μg, DES-1 μg, DES-0.1 μg or GnRHa. DES-10 greatly affected testis development and spermatogenesis in rat whereas GnRHa was quite less effective in producing negative impact. In contrast during the onset of puberty (d 18) both treatments exerted similar negative effect, and this time dependent response of the testis corresponds to different hormonal profiles. Quantitative evaluation of late pubertal spermatogenesis demonstrate that the most differentiated GC population- spermatides was the most sensitive to hormonal manipulation compared to spermatogonia (Sg) and spermatocytes (Sc). Different mechanisms are probably involved in mediation of the effect of E and gonadotropins and direct E action on GC differentiation is suggested. Our finding would elucidate our understanding about the hormonal regulation of different germ sell steps of spermatogenesis.