S. O. Petenusci

Chronic immobilization-induced stress increases plasma testosterone and delays testicular maturation in pubertal rats.

Summary. We investigated whether chronic stress, applied from prepuberty to early puberty, interferes with the spermatogenic and androgenic testicular functions. Male pubertal rats (40 days old) were immobilized 6 h per day for 15 days. Plasma concentrations of corticosterone, prolactin and testosterone were significantly augmented following immobilization, whereas plasma luteinizing hormone decreased and follicle‐stimulating hormone was not altered. Acute immobilization (5 min) increased prolactin and testosterone levels in control rats but caused a significantly higher increase in these hormones when superimposed on chronic stress. A lower extent of testicular maturation was observed in pubertal rats immobilized from prepuberty.

The hypophyseal‐testicular axis and sex accessory glands following chemical sympathectomy with guanethidine of pre‐pubertal to mature rats

Summary Selective chemical sympathectomy of the internal sex organs of prepubertal to mature male Wistar rats was performed by chronic treatment with low doses of guanethidine. Plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone and the intratesticular level of testosterone were determined. The weight and fructose content of seminal vesicle and ventral prostate were also investigated. The results showed that sympathetic innervation is related to the control of the hypophyseal‐testicular axis as well as to the growth and potential secretory activity of the male sex accessory glands.

Morphometric and biochemical evaluation of rat prostate and seminal vesicle following chemical sympathectomy with guanethidine

Selective chemical sympathectomy of the internal genital organs of adult male rats was undertaken by chronic treatment with low doses of guanethidine. Biochemical and morphometric methods revealed that removal of sympathetic innervation prevents fructose secretion in the prostate and seminal vesicle, in addition to promoting reduced efficiency of delivery by the latter.

Ultrasound stimulation of rat testes damaged by busulfan

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not low-intensity ultrasound exposure (20 mW/cm2 average intensity) accelerates the repair of rat germinal epithelium damaged by an antispermatogenic agent. The results from analysis of testicular weight and DNA content, sperm production and epididymal sperm concentration showed that the time needed for the reestablishment of the spermatogenic process following busulfan treatment was not reduced by ultrasound energy suggesting that, in contrast to many other mammalian tissues, the seminiferous epithelium is refractory to ultrasound stimulation.

The male reproductive organs in experimental Chagas' disease: III. Plasma testosterone and accessory sex glands in the acute phase of the disease

Male Wistar rats were injected i.p. with 2 x 10(5) trypomastigotes of the Bolivia strain. Fifteen days later, few parasite nests were observed in the fibromuscular layer surrounding the seminal vesicle acini of chagasic animals and no parasites were detected in the testis and ventral prostate. A significant decrease was observed in the absolute weight and fructose content of the seminal vesicle and ventral prostate of chagasic rats, which also presented a sharp decrease in plasma testosterone levels.

Biochemical Analysis by Calcium Determination on the Newly Formed Bone in Critical Bone Defects Submitted to Different Treatments: A Pilot Study

El proposito de este estudio fue evaluar el contenido de calcio del hueso neoformado, en defectos oseos criticos provocados en la boveda craneana y rellenados con diferentes substancias, en ratas Wistar machos. Un defecto critico cilindrico (6x2mm) fue provocado en el lado izquierdo de la porcion posterior del hueso de la boveda craneana, en nueve animales y rellenado con coagulo sanguineo del propio animal, gel de monoleina, gel de poloxamer, gel de monoleina + 1µg,g de rhBMP-2, gel de monoleina + 3µg rhBMP-2, gel de monoleina + 7µg rhBMP-2, gel de poloxamer + 1µg rhBMP-2, gel de poloxamer + 3µg rhBMP-2, gel de poloxamer + 7µg rhBMP-2. Los resultados de este estudio mostraron una correlacion positiva entre el contenido de calcio y el hueso neoformado

Stimulation of prepubertal, pubertal and adult rat testis with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound

Testes of prepubertal, pubertal and adult Wistar rats were stimulated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for 20 min a day, for 7 days. No significant changes were found in the spermatogenic activity as well as in plasma LH and FSH levels following ultrasound treatment. The testicular androgenic activity, however, was significantly increased in prepubertal treated animals, in addition to a significant increase in seminal vesicle growth and secretory activity. In spite of normal androgenic levels, pubertal treated rats presented also an increase in the seminal vesicle secretory activity, thus suggesting a direct action of ultrasound on the gland.

THE SALIVARY GLANDS OF LEIMADOPHIS VIRIDIS (GÜNTHER, 1862) (OPHIDEA COLUBRIDAE): A MORPHOLOGICAL, MORPHOMETRIC AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

SUMMARY The authors present morphological, morphometric and histochemical study of the salivary glands of the Colubridae Leimadophis viridis (Gunther, 1862) (Ophidea). Based on the results, the authors concluded: (i) the acini of supralabial, infralabial and premaxillary glands are formed by mucous and mucoserous cells; Duvernoys gland by seromucous cells; (ii) mucous cells show neutral and sulphated mucosubstances and sialic acid. Mucoserous cells show a neutral mucosubstance, sialic acid and protein radicals. Seromucous cells of Duvernoys gland show a neutral mucosub- stance and protein radicals. The acinar area, height of tubule and duct cells, and nuclear volume of acinar, tubule and duct cells were evaluated morphometrically.