Hüseyin Eray BULUT, Erdoğan GÜRSOY

Authors: An Ultrastructural Study

Abstract: Cryptorchidism causes a failure in testosterone secretion from the testicles. The metabolism of the adrenocortical steroids is influenced by sex hormones. Therefore testicular failure may cause structural and func-tional alterations in adrenal cortex. It is the aim of the present study to evaluate the effect of experimental caryptorchidism on the ultrastructure of the rat adrenal cortex, especialy on the reticularis region during prepubertal and postpubertal ages. Three groups of animals were used in the present study. The first (prepubertal) group consisted of 5,21-day old rats whereas the second (postpubertal) group was made of 5,3-month old rats. Third group was the control group which had 5,6-month old normal animals. Testicles from each animal in experimental groups were pulled into the peritoneal cavity and fixed on the peritoneal wall. Following a 3 month period, all animals were killed and the adrenal glands were obtained from each animal. Adrenal cortical tissue were processed for electron microscopy, and the ultrastructure of zona reticularis cells was evaluated using a JEOL 100C electron microscope. In the prepubertal group, hypertrophic smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), a dramatic increase in tubular type mitochondrial size, and the number and size of the lipid droplets in reticularis cells were major findings of the present study. On the other hand, cellular structures of the rat adrenal cortex in the postpubertal group were similar to those seen in the control group. These findings suggested a more changed cellular structure under the influence of experimental cryptorchidism in rats during prepubertal age. However, experimental cryptorchidism had no effect when performed in the postpubertal age.

Keywords: Cryptorchidism, adrenal cortex, ultrastructure

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