• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.215-220
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• 2000

Most of endocrine disrupters (EDs) have been reported to exhibit estrogenic or anti-androgenic activity and thereby may disrupt reproductive development in human or wildlife. This study was performed to investigate the effects of estrogen (E$_2$), bisphenol (BP) and octylphenol (OP) on the mouse Leydig cell line (TM3). TM3 originated from testis of 11~13-daly-old BALB/c nu/＋ mice was cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10％ FBS alone or medium with estrogen (E$_2$), bisphenol (BP) and octylphenol (OP; 1 pM, 1 nM, 1 $\mu$M, 1 mM, respectively) for 48 hours. After culture, total cell number and viability were assessed by heamocyto-meter and trypan blue stain. Expression of cytochrome P450scc (CYPscc) mRNA whose product is involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis and estrogen receptor $\alpha$(ER $\alpha$) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. As a result, treatment of TM3 with E$_2$, BP and OP(1 mM, respectively) significantly decreased the viability but not all of groups as high as 1 $\mu$M. Exposure of TM3 to OP significantly reduced the total cell number but not E$_2$ or BP. The expression of CYPscc mRNA was slightly reduced in BP (1 nM, 1 $\mu$M) and significantly decreased in OP (1 nM, 1 $\mu$M) treated TM3, except E$_2$ group. But the expression of ER $\alpha$ mRNA was sightly increased in all treated groups. In conclusion, BP and OP (high concentration) might inhibit steroidogenesis by decreasing the CYPscc mRNA expression in the mouse testis. These results suggest that BP and OP might impair spermatogenesis and subsequently disturb testicular function.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.485-505
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• 1994

Lead toxicity was evaluated in forty-five cats on a balanced diet, treated with 0(control), 10, 100(low), 1, 000, 2, 000 and 4, 000(high)ppm of lead acetate orally on a body weight basis. The objectives were to describe the gross and histopathologic changes and to demonstrate what tissue lead concentrations correlate with the known dosages of lead. In subclinical lead toxicity, greater than 80% of the absorbed lead was deposited in the bone, whereas in more acute lead toxicity, 42% of absorbed lead was deposited in the bone and 36% and 20% of absorbed lead was deposited in the kidneys and in the liver, respectively. No gross lesions were found in the nervous system. Yellow-brown colored livers appear to be associated with lead toxicity. Neuronal necrosis in the cerebrum was the most predominant histopathologic finding. Astrocytic proliferation in the cerebral gray matter was observed in 1 high dose cat. Gliosis was noted in the cerebral cortex of 6 high dose cats. Two high dose cats had demyelination in the deepest layer of the cortical gray matter of the cerebrum. Extravasation of red cells and cavitation around the vessels were found in the cerebrum of 1 high dose cat. Six high dose cats had degeneration of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. The microscopic findings in the peripheral nerves were ambiguous. In more acute toxicity, the cats had lead inclusions in the epithelial cells of proximal tubules of the kidneys of 7 cats and hepatocytes of the liver of S cats. These inclusions could be seen wlth H&E, but were more prominent with orcein staining. Two high dose cats had granulomas and connective tissue hyperplasia between tubules of the kidneys. Periportal hepatocyte vacuolization was observed in the liver of 22 cats. Vacuolization of seminiferous tubules and a reduced number of spermatogonia(indicative of reduced spermatogenesis) were found in the testis of 5 treated cats. Cystic ovaries were observed in 3 high dose cats and poor development of oogonia was found in 2 cats. The diagnosis of lead toxicity in cats can be suspected on the basis of the histopathologic lesions described, and can be of value in contributing to a diagnosis. A reliable diagnosis of lead poisoning can be helped utilizing tissue lead analysis(post molten)

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.71-96
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• 1977

Early development Linuparus trigonus(von Siebold) has been studied based on the samples collected monthly in Je-ju Island, Korea from February, 1975 to January, 1977. Gametogenesis, reproductive cycle, embryonic development were investigated by histological mettled, and morphological description was made on the first phyllosoma larva which reared in the laboratory. Testis is composed of two tubular duct which are symmetrical with H-shaped appearance. Outer layer of testis is of fibrous connective tissue capsule. In the lumen there is a convoluted seminiferous tubule with interstitial tissue. Ovary is a pair of symmetrical blind tubular lobes, and the midportions are connected each other. The ovary consists of a couple of ovarian sacs partitioned by two-layered connective tissue fibers. Proliferation of spermatogonia are observed all the year around on the germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubule. Partial spermatogenesis is always in progress, and the spermatozoa appear all the year around in the tubules. Nutrition of early oogonia is supplied by fibrous mesenchyme which is abundantly distributed in ovarian sacs. Oocytes grow and couplete maturation divisions in the follicle layers. They finally develop into mature ova before spawning. Reproductive cycle is classified into four successive stages; multiplication stage from September to December, growing stage from January to March, maturation division stage from April to May and mature stage from June to August. Spawning takes place from May to August with peak spawning from Into July to early August. Cleavage type is superficial. Blastopore is formed in blasto-disc region which is proliferation of blastoderm cells. Germinal layers are also derived from tile region. Mesoderm formation is originated from endodermal cells which are formed front the blasto-disc region. The endodermal cells are separated by the process of delamination from yolk sac and take part in the formation of the mid-gut. Morphological characteristics of first phyllosoma larva are different from the larvae of other Palinurid and Scyllarid species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 1999

Histopathological study has been carried out to elucidate the protective effect of Korean red ginseng water extract (KRG-WE) on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced acute toxicity in male guinea pigs. Forty male guinea pigs ($200{\pm}20g$) were divided into 4 groups: normal controls (group 1) received vehicle and saline; group 2 (single TCDD-treated) received TCDD (5 ${\mu}g/kg$, single dose) and saline; group 3 received KRG-WE (200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 2 weeks starting 1 week before TCDD-exposure; group 4 received same dose of KRG-WE for 7 days from the day of TCDD-exposure. Weights of liver, testis, kidney, spleen and lung of the TCDD-exposed guinea pigs were significantly decreased. Thymus was severely shrunken, thereby could not be distinguished from adipose tissue in group 2 animals. Focal interstitial inflammation and fibrosis were observed from the lung parenchyma of group 2 animals. Furthermore, moderate swelling of hepatocyte, diffused aggregates of hemosiderin-laden macrophages from the Prussian blue stained spleen, marked decrease in spermatogenesis, and pyknotic and degenerative changes in the renal tubules were observed from intestinal organs of group 2 animals. On the other hand, histopathological damage was moderately to markedly alleviated in groups 3 and 4, but pretreatment of KRG-WE was more effective than the simultaneous treatment. In particular, TCDD-induced testicular atrophy was significantly attenuated by KRG-WE (p<0.01). From these results, it could be suggested that Korean red ginseng might be a useful herb that prevented TCDD-induced toxicity on liver, testis, kidney and spleen.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 1989

This study was conducted to observe 1) the changes of cellular association in seminiferous tubles from 2 to 8 weeks of age, and 2) the cycle phenomena of seminiferous epithelia at 14 weeks of age in Japanese quail. Total 80 birds were examined at a week interval from 2 to 8 weeks, and 14 weeks of age. The results were summarized as follows： 1) The body and testis weights showed most prominent increase during 4 to 5 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks of age respectively. And also the diameters of seminiferous tubles were abruptly enlaged during 6 to 8 weeks of age. 2) Genocytes in the seminiferous tubles were still in existence at 3 weeks of age, however they did not come out after 4 weeks of age. Spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and spermatids made their first arpearances in the seminiferous from 3, 4 and 6 weeks of age, respectively. Spermatozoa were observed for the first time at 7 weeks of age, but full spermatogenic activity was completed from 8 weeks of age. 3) At 14 weeks of age, the average weight at testis was 3.7g and its ratio to the body weight was approximately 3.0 percent. And at this age, average diameter of seminiferous tubules was 192.08 $\mu\textrm{m}$, and average numbers of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa within the cross section of seminiferous tubules were 7.74, 40.81, 28.42, 104.55 and 105.98, respectively. Spermatogonia and spermatid were classfied into 2 and 3 types, respectively. 4) At 14 weeks of age, the cycle of seminiferous epithelium could be divided into S stages with following characteristics. (1) Stage I： Seminiferous tubules showing type I and II spermatids. (2) Stage II： Seminiferous tubules showing type III spermatids only. (3) Stage III： Immature spermatozoa gathered near the sertoli cytoplasm. (4) Stage IV： Forming a bundle of 15-20 spematozoa. (5) Stage V： Spermatozoa bundle leaving the sertoli cytoplasm into lumen of the seminferous tubule. 5) Usually 2-3 stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle were concurrently appeared within a tubular cross section, and frequency of each stage from I to V within cross section of seminiferous tubules were 11.91%, 27.03%, 27.96%, 19.04% and 17.98%, respectively.