Arsenic Induced Microscopic Changes in Rat Testis

Abstract

The present study was designed to observe the changes in the testis of rats due to arsenic in higherdoses. Distilled water and sodium arsenite were administrated intra-peritonealy to control and experimental groupsrespectively. Animals were sacrificed, their testis were weighed and cut into small pieces. After observing the pluckingand stringing phenomenon of the seminiferous tubules the pieces of tests were embedded in paraffin and then 5µmthick section were made. These sections were stained with PAS-sulfurous acid haematoxylin and examinedmicroscopically for qualitative assessment of germinal epithelium. Results: In the rats of experimental group meanweight and average tissue ratio of the paired testes was 1.140gm and 0.0037 respectively, which was significantly lessthan the control. There was decrease in diameter of seminiferous tubules, thickening of the basement membrane, earlyarrest of spermatogenesis, damaged leydig cells, prominent sertoli cells and collapsed blood vessels, showinggeneralized atrophy of the testes in experimental group. Conclusion: In arsenic toxicity there are atrophic changesin testis due to degenerative changes in spermatogenic and leydig cells