Rats submitted to crypthorquidism and or exposed to environmental toxicants: a morphometric study

• Grant number: 14/23042-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Merielen Garcia Nascimento e Pontes
• Grantee: Thania Rios Rossi Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome (TDS) is a condition characterized by isolated or variously combined disorders of the male reproductive system, such as low sperm quality, cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and testicular tumors. Several evidences suggest strong influence of exogenous chemical factors, such as environmental contaminants, in the increased incidence of this syndrome around the globe, including Brazil. These evidences were confirmed experimentally in greater or lesser degree to all constituents of the TDS, except for testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). Cryptorchidism, a TDS component, occurs in approximately 10% of cases of TGCT, and cryptorchid patients have a 10 times greater risk for developing TGCT than normal men, i.e., besides being a component of the TDS cryptorchidism appears to be a relevant risk factor for TTCG. The objective of this project is to characterize the morphometric changes of seminiferous tubules of rats exposed to an experimental model of TDS that consists of in utero exposure to the testicular toxicants acrylamide or phthalate and after conception, to criptorchidia. The cryptorchidic rats will be subjected to orchidopexy, i.e., a surgical correction of the cryptorchidia. The control group will be sham operated. At different moments in the postnatal life until 52th week after the surgical procedures, the following parameters will be evaluated: total volume of the testis, volume and height of the tubular epithelium, diameter of tubules seminiferous and seminiferous tubule length. (AU)