The Effect of Chronic Cold Stress on the Metabolism and Chemical Constituents of the Mature Rat Testis

Abstract

The effect of chronic cold stress for periods of 0, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 30 days on metabolic activity in vitro, testis weight, total lipid, total carbohydrate, total carbohydrate on lipid free residue, ribonucleic acid (rna), deoxyribonucleic acid (dna) and percentage of lipid free dry weight of the testis was determined. Metabolic activities measured were endogenous oxygen consumption and oxygen uptake in the presence of exogenous glucose, succinate and a Krebs' cycle reaction system. Carbon dioxide, lactic acid production and glucose uptake were also determined. Cold exposure caused a significantly decreased rate of body weight gain and a highly significant transient hypertrophy of the adrenals. There was no significant change in the metabolic activity and chemical constituents of the testes. These data indicate that cold stress for 30 days has no significant effect on testis size, composition or metabolic activity in mature rats in which the hypothalamo\p=m-\adeno-hypophysial\p=m-\gonadal axis was stimulated by constant light.

Changes in the Reproductive Organs of Cold-Exposed and Light-Deprived Female Hamsters (Mesocricetus Auratus)

“…However, studies designed to deter¬ mine the importance of photoperiod and temperature on influencing reproduc¬ tion are few. The size and metabolic activity of the reproductive organs of adult albino rats and mice are relatively insensitive to darkness (Browman, 1937;Hoffmann, 1967) or cold (Hale, Mefferd, Vowter, Foerster & Criscuolo, 1959;Baillie, 1961 ;Ewing, Brant & Ebner, 1967), but this does not apply to the golden hamster. Lack of light, either in the form of short daily photoperiods or blinding, causes marked gonadal atrophy in both sexes (Hoffman & Reiter, 1965a;Reiter, Hoffman & Hester, 1966b).…”

Testicular Metabolism in Adrenalectomized and Corticosterone Treated Rats

“…Testis tubules were homogenized (10%; w/v) in 0.154 M KCl with an all glass Ten-Broeck homogenizer. Aliquots of the homogenate were used for carbohydrate (10) and protejn (11) analysis and for determining anaerobic glucose metabolism by measuring the amount of COa evolved from bicarbonate buffer by acid end products during glycolysis ( 12). Aerobic glucose metabolism was assessed by measuring the amount of O2 required to oxidize succinate by cell free homogenates of testes (12).…”

“…Aliquots of the homogenate were used for carbohydrate (10) and protejn (11) analysis and for determining anaerobic glucose metabolism by measuring the amount of COa evolved from bicarbonate buffer by acid end products during glycolysis ( 12). Aerobic glucose metabolism was assessed by measuring the amount of O2 required to oxidize succinate by cell free homogenates of testes (12). Oxidation of g l~c o s e -l -~~C and glucose-6-14C to 14C02 was determined separately by placing teased testis tubules (200 mg of fresh wt) in ice-cold Warburg flasks with 3 ml of Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate (KRB) buffer (8) (pH 7.4) containing the appropriate isotope of ~-glucose-l~C (0.5 pCi; 10 mM).…”