ObjectiveLetrozole and estradiol valerate are used to treat some hormonally-responsive symptoms and also in modeling of the polycystic ovary syndrome. However, the stereological analysis of the ovary has received less attention. Estimation of the whole ovary volume using the Cavalieri method can be applied in any orientation desired, but estimation of the mean volume of the oocytes requires isotropic uniform random sectioning. Here, a combined method was developed for estimating the parameters. To our knowledge, no comparison has been made of the effects of letrozole and estradiol on the ovary.MethodsSixty rats were divided into 4 groups receiving estradiol (4 mg/kg), olive oil, letrozole (1 mg/kg), or normal saline. After 21 days, their ovaries were studied.ResultsRelative to the control group, the total volume of the ovary and the cortex increased in the letrozole-treated and estradiol-treated rats. In addition, the number of the preantral, antral, and granulosa cells decreased by 43% to 56% in the letrozole- and estradiol-treated rats. On average, a 19% increase was observed in the atretic oocytes of the letrozole-treated and estradiol-treated rats, but the mean oocyte volume decreased by 29% to 44% in letrozole- and estradiol-treated rats. Furthermore, the letrozole-treated rats showed a 5-fold and 7-fold increase in the volume of the cysts and corpus luteum, respectively. A 3-fold increase was found in the volume of both the cysts and corpus luteum in the estradiol group.ConclusionThe structural changes of the ovary were most pronounced in the letrozole-treated animals.

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Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has a potential effect on tissue repair through proliferation and differentiation of tissue progenitor cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PRP on the testis structure and function in infertile rat model by stereological method. Thirty-two male rats were divided into four groups. Infertility was induced by the administration of busulfan (BUS) (10mg/kg, I.P., single dose). PRP (80μl, testis local injected, single dose) was administered for the subjects. After 48 days, semen analysis was performed and blood samples were taken from the heart to measure the testosterone. Then, the left testis was removed, fixed, embedded, sectioned, and stained by H&E; after that the testes were analyzed. The results showed that BUS can decrease the sperm count, motility, normal morphology, length of the spermatozoon tail, volume of the testis, seminiferous tubules, germinal epithelium height, and the number of spermatogenesis lineage cells in comparison with the control group (p < 0.01). PRP increased the number of spermatogenic stem cell, count, motility and tail length of the sperm and testosterone level in BUS-treated animal significantly, but it did not have any effect on the volume of the testis, germinal epithelium height, Sertoli and Leydig cells number, and seminiferous tubules length. It concluded that PRP can improve the structural and functional impairment of the testis in treatment by BUS.

Changes in the number and size of oocytes can lead to fertilization problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the number, volume, and surface area of oocytes in healthy as well as nandrolone decanoate-treated (ND) mice using stereological methods. Five control mice received vehicle, and five ND-treated mice received ND. Using the 'isotropic Cavalieri' design', the ovary was sectioned. The volume of the ovary (cortex and medulla) was estimated. The oocytes' volume and surface area were estimated using the invariator. The number of the oocytes was estimated using an optical disector. The volumes of the ovary, cortex, and medulla decreased ~50% in the ND-treated mice. The mean number (coefficient of variation) of preantral, antral, and atretic oocytes in the control ovary were 1,690 (0.29), 2,100 (0.52), and 3,900 (0.2), respectively, which decreased ~54%, ~87%, and ~91%, respectively in the ND-treated animals. The mean volume (coefficient of variation) of the preantral, antral, and atretic oocytes were 86,000 (0.27), 110,000 (0.48), and 27,000 (0.33) mm 3 , respectively. The mean surface area (coefficient of variation) of the three types of oocytes were 9,000 (0.24), 9,900 (0.28), and 4,700 (0.21) mm 2 , respectively. These parameters remained unchanged in the ND-treated mice. ND induces reduction in the number of oocytes, but not in the volume or the surface area.

Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) compounds rank among the drugs most widely abused with the goal of improving athletic ability, appearance, or muscle mass. It has been shown that these compounds have adverse effects on human and animal physiology and sperm quality, but quantitative structural changes of the testis have received less attention. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of nandrolone decanoate, which is one of the AAS compounds, on testis weight and volume, diameter and length of seminiferous tubules in rats by unbiased stereological methods. Adult rats were divided into three groups. The first comprised control rats; the second and third groups received low and high doses of nandrolone decanoate for 14 weeks. The rats were then left untreated for 14 weeks. After removal of the testis, stereological study of these tissues showed that the mean volume of testis and length of the seminiferous tubules in the animals that received high doses of nandrolone decanoate were reduced approximately 32% (p<0.01) and approximately 31% (p<0.04), respectively, in comparison with the control group. It can be concluded that the high doses of nandrolone decanoate produce structural changes in the rat testis that remain 14 weeks after stopping injection of the drug.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a cardiotoxic drug. To reduce the harmful effects of DOX, two plant‐derived components, including curcumin (CUR) and carvacrol (CAR), were considered. This study aimed to assess the protective effects of CUR and CAR on DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity using physiological and stereological evaluations. Male rats were randomly allocated to six groups. Group's I‐VI received phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS), CUR (100 mg kg−1 day−1), CAR (50 mg kg−1 day−1), DOX (4 mg kg−1 week−1), DOX‐CUR, and DOX‐CAR, respectively. On day 24, plasma troponin I and ECG were analyzed and the left ventricle underwent stereological assessment. The results showed a fivefold increase in troponin I in the DOX‐treated animals compared to the PBS ones. Additionally, heart rate and QRS amplitude, respectively, reduced by 18% and 31% and QT interval and QRS duration, respectively, increased by 41% and 24% in the DOX group in comparison with the PBS rats (p < .05). The total volume of the myocardium and vessels and the number of cardiomyocyte nuclei also, respectively, decreased by 30%, 45%, and 43% in the DOX group compared to the PBS animals (atrophy of the ventricular tissues, p < .01). Besides, the mean volumes of the connective tissue and cardiomyocytes, respectively, increased by 46% and 52% in the DOX group (p < .01). In the DOX‐CUR and DOX‐CAR groups, the changes were prevented extensively in comparison with the DOX group (p < .01). Co‐administration of CUR or CAR and doxorubicin for 24 days could improve the heart function and structural changes.

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