Although it is well known that cadmium (Cd) causes adverse effects on male rat reproductive organs, few studies have quantified alterations caused by its low doses. Quantification of these alterations, especially in the testis, was measured using morphometry. A single dose of cadmium chloride (1 or 1.2 mg/kg BW) was injected i.p. in adult rats, killed after 7 or 56 days. The lower dose caused slight alterations as measured by morphometrical analysis. The higher dose caused significant reduction in testis and epididymis weight, gonadossomatic index and length of seminiferous tubule (ST) after 7 and 56 days. Cadmium significantly reduced the ST diameter after 56 days. Decreased volume density of ST, after 7 and 56 days, was accompanied by an increase in interstitium volume density. The damage caused by the dose of 1.2 mg/kg can be clearly observed with light microscope. After 7 days, the tubule lumens were filled with degenerated germ cells and multinucleated spermatid aggregates. Vacuolization of the seminiferous epithelium was also observed. After 56 days, increased damage resulted in vacuolated ST, consisting only of Sertoli cells. Scanning electron microscopy examination of the testis showed that, in the group cadmium treated (1.2 mg/kg) and killed after 56 days, the interstitial tissue presents a compact and fibrous appearance with absence of fenestrae. The seminiferous epithelium height diminished and the absence of spermatozoa can be noted. The results show that a very small difference of Cd dose causes a sudden increase in testicular damage, apparently overpowering this tissue's natural defences.

Lino‐Neto, J., Báo, S. N. and Dolder, H. 2000. Structure and Ultrastructure of the Spermatozoa of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman and Platner (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 81: 205–211 Spermatozoa of the Trichogramma pretiosum and T. atopovirilia are very slender and long, about 0.35 µm in diameter and 283 µm and 106 µm in length, respectively. Under light microscopy, they appear wavy along their entire length. The head contains a small acrosome which, together with the initial nuclear region is surrounded by an ‘extracellular sheath’, from which innumerable filaments irradiate. The nucleus is filled with homogeneous, compact chromatin and is attached to the flagellum by an electron dense centriolar adjunct, which extends anteriorly from the nuclear base. The flagellum consists of an axoneme with the 9 + 9 + 2 microtubule arrangement pitched in a long helix, as well as a pair of spiralling mitochondrial derivatives which coil around the axoneme. Based on these characteristics, the sperm of these Trichogramma are very similar to the chalcidoids studied to date and differ from non‐chalcidoid Hymenoptera. They differ widely from the sperm of T. dendrolimi and T. ostriniae studied, where no helically twisted structure is shown. However, based on these results we argue that the spiralling of the flagellar structures is a synapomorphy for Trichogrammatidae as well as for Eulophidae + Eurytomidae + Pteromalidae.

No abstract

The flagellum of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae) consists of two mitochondrial derivatives, an axoneme and two accessory bodies. The mitochondrial derivatives are of unequal size and lie parallel to the axoneme. In the larger derivative four regions can be distinguished while in the smaller, only three. The region occurring only in the larger derivative consists of paracystalline material. The smaller mitochondrial derivative terminates anterior to the larger one. An extremely long centriolar adjunct is observed between the nucleus and the smaller mitochondrial derivative. This adjunct is compact, very electron dense and gradually tapers from base toward apex, finishing at the anterior extremity of the axonemal microtubules. In this flagellar region, there is only one accessory body present between the larger mitochondrial derivative and the axoneme. Anteriorly, the tips of the axonemal microtubules are inserted in a well developed mass of granular appearance. This material surrounds the nuclear base, separating it from the anterior end of the larger mitochondrial derivative. We believe that the structure identified here as a centriolar adjunct is homologous to that observed in Formicidae, Ichneumonoidea and Symphyta. Therefore, very probably, it is common to most Hymenoptera.

BackgroundArctium lappa, known as burdock, is widely used in popular medicine for hypertension, gout, hepatitis and other inflammatory disorders. Pharmacological studies indicated that burdock roots have hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and antiproliferative activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate total phenolic content, radical scavenging activity by DPPH and in vitro antiproliferative activity of different A. lappa root extracts.MethodsHot and room temperature dichloromethanic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts; hydroethanolic and total aqueous extract of A. lappa roots were investigated regarding radical scavenging activity by DPPH, total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteau method and antiproliferative in vitro activity was evaluated in human cancer cell lines. The hydroethanolic extract analyzed by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy.ResultsHigher radical scavenging activity was found for the hydroethanolic extract. The higher phenolic contents were found for the dichloromethane, obtained both by Soxhlet and maceration extraction and hydroethanolic extracts. The HRESI-MS demonstrated the presence of arctigenin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid compounds, which were identified by comparison with previous data. The dichloromethane extracts were the only extracts that exhibited activity against cancer cell lines, especially for K562, MCF-7 and 786-0 cell lines.ConclusionsThe hydroethanolic extracts exhibited the strongest free radical scavenging activity, while the highest phenolic content was observed in Soxhlet extraction. Moreover, the dichloromethanic extracts showed selective antiproliferative activity against K562, MCF-7 and 786-0 human cancer cell lines.

Euglossine spermatozoa are the longest described to date for the Hymenoptera. This cell includes a head and a flagellar region. In transverse sections, the acrosome is circular at the tip but has an oval contour along most of its length. The perforatorium penetrates into a deep cavity in the nuclear tip. The flagellum consists in an axoneme, a pair of mitochondrial derivatives, a centriolar adjunct and a pair of accessory bodies. The axoneme has a 9+9+2 microtubule pattern which becomes gradually disorganized in the final portion, with the central microtubules and the nine doublets terminating simultaneously, followed by the accessory microtubules. The mitochondrial derivatives are asymmetric both in length and diameter. Sectioned transversally, the derivatives are ellipsoidal or have a pear shape. The larger one has a more obvious paracrystalline region. The centriolar adjunct begins at the nuclear base and extends parallel to the axoneme until it encounters the smaller mitochondrial derivative, on which it fits, making a concave groove. In addition to these consistent euglossine features, species-specific differences that might be useful in phylogenetic work on the group are also noted.

No abstract

Cyclosporine A (CsA) is known to have testicular toxicity, leading to male infertility. Stimulant and aphrodisiac properties have been attributed to the plant, Heteropterys aphrodisiaca. Thus, the present work was undertaken to evaluate the association of the drug and the medicinal herb in Wistar rats, applying testicular morphometry and ultrastructure. Twentyfour rats were used, divided into four groups: I, control; II, CsA; III, simultaneous use of CsA and H. aphrodisiaca; IV, H. aphrodisiaca. Daily administration by gavage was carried out, during 56 days, of water (sham), CsA in a dose of 15 mg/kg per day and/or H. aphrodisiaca in a dose of 0.5 ml of the infusion prepared with 25 g of roots/100 ml of boiling water. Increased body weight was observed for all groups, but the animals that received only CsA showed the smallest body weight gain. Morphometry showed increased connective tissue volumetric proportion and decreased Leydig cell volumetric proportion in CsA-treated rats. Using transmission electron microscopy, it was possible to ascertain that CsA caused seminiferous epithelium degeneration, resulting in Sertoli cell vacuolization, abnormal round and elongated spermatids and large accumulation of residual cytoplasm at the epithelium border next to the lumen. Expanded intercellular spaces between germ cells were still observed in H. aphrodisiaca-treated rat testes. The administration of H. aphrodisiaca infusion to CsA-treated rats diminished nearly all the CsA-induced damage to the testis ultrastructure, suggesting that H. aphrodisiaca infusion may be used combined with CsA to reduce CsA-induced injuries in the testis.