Effects of high doses of testosterone propionate and testosterone enanthate on rat seminiferous tubules--a stereological and cytological study.

The effects of exogenous testosterone on various testicular variables has become of increasing significance because of its potential use in male contraception. For this reason, high doses of two testosterone esters [testosterone propionate (TP) and testosterone enanthate (TE)] were used in a study of their influence on the morphology, length and curvature of the seminiferous tubules of the rat testis, and on cytological smears of the seminiferous tubules epithelium. TP was given for 14 days (3 mg/100 g body weight, i.m.) to assess the acute effects of testosterone on the seminiferous tubules. TE was administered for 60 days (in the same manner as TP) to study possible chronic effects on the rat testis. After TP and TE treatment the seminiferous tubule epithelium showed disorganization and desquamation of spermatogenic cells. In the TP-treated testes the tubules lined with Sertoli cells only were observed. The values for the length and curvature of seminiferous tubules of the TP- and TE-treated rats were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). All these changes were observed earlier in the TP-treated than in the TE-treated animals. In cytological smears of the testis of the TP- and TE-treated rats an increase of vacuoles and residual bodies in Sertoli cell cytoplasm was noted. In addition, a reduction of spermatogenic cells, particularly sperms, was manifest in the smears after treatment. Large groups of Sertoli cells were seen in the smears from these testes.