El alcoholismo crónico en la morfología de estructuras testiculares en la rata

Abstract

Chronic alcohol ingestion results in a decrease in serum testosterone levels associated with sexual dysfunction, impotence and
sterility. Diminished testicular weights and disturbances in the morphology and diameter of seminiferous tubules have been reported in alcoholic male rats, but the cytological features of the Leydig cells do not seem to be affected. In order to evaluate the alcohol-induced testicular damage, 30 tenweek-old, male Wistar rats, have been studied. Ten of the animals were fed 10 % alcohol in their drinking water during 12 weeks; another ten, for 24 weeks and the rest of the animals were the controls. At the end of the treatment the testicles were extracted, isolated from the epididymis, weighed, and processed with hematoxilin and eosin. The transversal diameter of the seminiferous tubules and the karyometry of Leydig cells were measured using a lox micrometric ocular. A software program for morphometric studies for data processing was created. This software made it possible to calculate the cross-section area of the seminiferous tubules and the nuclear volume of Leydig cells. A decrease of testicular weights and Leydig cells nuclear volume reduction was found, but the cross-section area of the seminiferous tubules was not affected by alcohol consumption. Although the obtained values had not statistical significance, these results are congruent with the decrease of serum testosterone levels found in
alcoholic patients.