Sperm retention cysts in the efferent duct and testicular atrophy of TE inbred rats

Abstract

Summary. Sperm retention cysts were observed in the efferent duct of TE inbred rats at 15 weeks of age. Spermatozoa agglutinated in the efferent duct with destruction of the epithelium. Testicular weight increased or decreased. Diameter of the seminiferous tubules was enlarged in testes that increased in weight and germinal cells degenerated in the atrophied testes. After 30 weeks of age, the tubules of the efferent duct were sometimes replaced by scars and testicular atrophy became more frequent. In 3 out of 5 normal rats united by parabiosis with TE males for 25\p=n-\27 days, cysts occurred in the efferent duct.

Structure and function of the ductuli efferentes: A review

“…Additionally, a strain of rat called TE inbred rats has been developed to express congenital sperm retention cysts in the efferent ductules (Ikadai et al, 1987). Associated testicular atrophy usually occurs concomitant to these conditions.…”

“…Obstruction of the ductuli efferentes, unless attenuated within a short period of time, will initiate extensive degeneration of the seminiferous epithelium of the testis that may persist for long periods of time and lead to irreversible infertility. This can occur in many experimental and clinical conditions, including 1) ligation (Cunningham, 1928;Harrison, 1953;Kuwahara, 1976;Smith, 1962;Van Wagenen, 1925), 2) ablation of the epididymal blood vessels (MacMillan, 1953),3) congenital agenesis (Dubin and Amelar, 1971;Makler and Hampel, 1975) and maldevelopment (Ashdown, 1985;Gustafsson and Galloway, 1988;Shafik and El-Sibaei, 1991), 4) congenital occlusions (Ikadai et al, 1987), 5) varicocele in humans (Nistal et al, 1984(Nistal et al, , 1987, 6) vasectomy (Tung and Alexander, 19801, 7) vitamin E deficiency (Mason and Shaver, 19521, 8) Young's syndrome (Hendry et al, 19901, 9) granuloma, sperm stasis, and cysts (Blom and Christensen, 1960;Hamm et al, 1988;Hemeida and McEntee, 19841, and 10) chemical toxicoses, ethylene dimethane sulfonate and a-chlorhydrin Jackson, 1972, 1973), benzimidazole carbamate (Hess et al, 1991;Nakai et al, 1992,19931, cadmium (Mason andYoung, 1967;Nagy, 19851, and dinitrobenzene (Linder et al, 1988a).…”

“…Congenital absence of the ductuli efferentes in man (Makler and Hampel, 1975) and failure of the ductuli to connect with epididyrnis in man (King, 1978) and in TW rats (Ajisawa et al, 1985) have also been reported. Additionally, a strain of rat called TE inbred rats has been developed to express congenital sperm retention cysts in the efferent ductules (Ikadai et al, 1987). Associated testicular atrophy usually occurs concomitant to these conditions.…”