• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.203-207
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• 2009

Present study was conducted to investigate potential effects of epichlorohydrin on testicular and epididymal function in male rats. The test chemical was administered to adult male rats by gavage at dose levels of 0, 3.125, 12.5, and 50 mg/kg/day for 7 days. Testicular and epididymal function were assessed by measurement of reproductive organ weight, testicular spermatid count, epididymal sperm count, motility and morphology, and histopathology in rats. At 50 mg/kg, a decrease in the sperm motility and an increase in the incidence of sperm abnormalities were observed. Histopathological examinations revealed an increase in the incidence of histopathological changes including cell debris in the ducts, vacuolization of the epithelial cells, oligospermia, and epithelial disruption in the proximal caput epididymidis. At 12.5 mg/kg, an increase in the incidence of histopathological changes of the epididymidis was found. There were no treatment-related effects at 3.125 mg/kg. These results show that 7-day repeated oral administration of epichlorohydrin to male rats results in adverse effects on sperm motility, sperm morphology, and epididymal histology at $\geq$ 12.5 mg/kg/day.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.1 s.22
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• pp.85-100
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• 2007

Objectives : This research was executed to verify antitumor effect and protective effect on doxorubicin(Doxo)-induced toxicity of Cultivated Wild Ginseng(CWG) and synergic effect of CWG with Doxo in B16/F10 melanomas-bearing C57BL/6 mice. Methods : To evaluate protective effect on doxorubicin(Doxo)-induced toxicity and enhancing effect on the antitumor activity of Doxo, CWG water extract(0.5 ml) was intraperitoneally injected for 10 days, in combination with intraperitoneal injection of Doxo(4 mg/kg) on days 12, 16, 19, to mice subcutaneously inoculated with $2{\times}10^6/ml$ B16/F10 melanoma cells. In order to investigate antitumor effect of CWG, CWG water extract(0.5 ml) was intraperitoneally injected for 10 days to mice subcutaneously inoculated with $2{\times}10^6/ml$ B16/F10 melanoma cells. Results : The body weights of melanoma-bearing mice increased following B16/F10 cells inoculation. In contrast, such an increase in body weights was significantly attenuated by Doxo administration. Whereas CWG inhibits the decrease in body weights induced by Doxo. The tumor volume and tumor weights of melanomas-bearing mice dramatically increased following B16/F10 cells inoculation, In contrast, such an increase in tumor volume and tumor weights were significantly attenuated by Doxo or CWG administration. But the synergic effect of CWG with Doxo was not observed. The reduction of cellularity of seminiferous epithelia, level of spermatogonium and spermatid induced by Doxo was recovered by CWG administration. BrdU labeling index of spermatogonium was remarkably decreased in Doxo group but was no change in CWG group. Whereas the incidence and intensity of BrdU labelled spermatocytes and spermatids were increased by CWG administration than those of Doxo group. Conclusions : The obtained results suggest that CWG have antitumor effect and protective effect on doxo-induced testicular toxicity. This effect might be mediated through the supplementation of vital energy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.701-705
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• 2007

Seven rc mutant and seven normal male birds (Rhode Island Red suie, RIR) were used in this study to determine the effects of rc mutation on semen characteristics, testosterone profile and spermatogenic tissues. All birds were randomly selected at week 12 of age and housed in individual cages and were fed and watered ad libitum. The birds were exposed to a 14L:10D light cycle during experiment. Semen were collected at weeks 22 to 23 from each bird twice a week and evaluated for semen volume (SV), sperm concentration (SC), total sperm count (TSC), percent of sperm motility (%SM), dead sperm (%DS), and sperm metabolic activity (SMA). To determine the testosterone concentration (TC) in plasma, blood was collected at weeks 12, 16 and 18. Testicular tissue were collected, processed and evaluated for semineferous tubule diameter (STD), round spermatid number (RSN), percent elongated sperm (%ES) and semineferous tubules length (STL). Body weight (BW), comb weight (CW) and testes weight (TW) were weighted at the end of experiment (week 23). The SV, TSC and %SM were significantly higher in normal birds but the %DS was higher in blind birds (p<0.05). The SC did not differ significantly between the two groups but its value was higher in normal birds. The sperm metabolic activity in the first h of collection did not differ significantly between the two groups but after 24 h, the level of SMA in normal group was significantly higher (p<0.05). The level of TC did not differ significantly between the two genotype groups but normal birds had higher TC in all collections except the last one. The STD, RSN, %ES and STL in normal birds were higher when compared to blind birds but the differences were insignificant except for ES percent. The BW, CW and TW between the two groups did not differ significantly but the weights were higher in normal group compared to blind birds. Statistical analysis of semen characteristics, testosterone profile and histological factors were indicated detrimental effects of rc mutation in prepubertal RIR blind male birds due to lack of light.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2009

This research aimed to investigate the time-course effect of epichlorohydrin (ECH) on epididymal histopathology in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four male rats were randomly assigned to four groups with 6 rats in each group and were administered a single oral dose of ECH (70 mg/kg) or its vehicle. Six animals each were sacrificed on days 0 (control), 1, 2, and 7 after treatment. During the study period, clinical signs, body weights, reproductive organ weights, testicular spermatid count, epididymal sperm count, motility and morphology, and histopathology were examined. No treatmentrelated effects on body weights and reproductive organ weights were noted at any time point. On the contrary, sperm motility decreased slightly on days 1 and 2 after treatment and then decreased significantly on day 7 after treatment. The first signs of histological changes were the appearance of cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells observed in the proximal caput epididymis on day 1 after treatment. The incidences and grades of the histological changes including cell debris in the ducts, epithelial vacuolization, oligospermia, and epithelial disruption increased on day 2 and then decreased slightly on day 7 after treatment. These results show that a single oral dose of 70 mg/kg ECH to male rats results in cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells in the proximal caput epididymis, followed by reversible oligospermia, epithelial disruption, and decreased sperm motility.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.466-471
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• 2006

We investigated the changes in body weight (BW), plasma sex steroid hormone profiles, and testicular development of cultured male eel Anguilla japonica during an artificial maturation process. Eels that received weekly intraperitoneal injections of eel's ringer solution containing human chronic gonadotropin (HCG) were examined. In the ringer-treated control, BW changes decreased slowly during the experimental period. Plasma testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and $17{\alpha},\;20{\beta}$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) levels In the control remained low and did not show significant changes. Moreover, all germ cells in the testes of the control were spermatogonia. In the HCG-treated male eels, however, BW changes increased gradually from the fifth week and then decreased slowly. The plasma T level increased rapidly (p<0.05) in the second week and then decreased slowly. The plasma 11-KT level increased dramatically (p<0.05) in the second week and was maintained until the end of the experiment. The plasma DHP level increased progressively from the second week and peaked in the eighth week (p<0.05). The testes of HCG-treated male eels were more developed than those of the control; most were at the spermatozoa and spermatid stages and showed active spermiation. Thus, spermatogenesis and spermiation in the cultured eel can be induced by repeated injections of HCG.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1702-1709
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• 2016

The reproductive function of G-protein subunit Galphaq (GNAQ), a member of the G protein alpha subunit family, has been extensively studied in humans and rats. However, no data is available on its status in ruminants. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the expression pattern of the GNAQ in the testis and epididymis of sheep by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA expression levels were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and cellular localization of GNAQ in the testis and epididymis was examined by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, GNAQ protein was qualitatively evaluated via western blot, with the results indicating that similarities between GNAQ mRNA levels from sheep was highly conserved with those observed in Bos taurus and Sus scrofa. Our results also indicated that GNAQ exists in the caput and cauda epididymis of sheep, while GNAQ in the testis and epididymis was localized to Leydig cells, spermatogonial stem cells, spermatocytes, Sertoli cells, spermatid, principal cells, and epididymis interstitial cells. The concentrations of GNAQ mRNA and protein in the caput and cauda epididymis were significantly greater than those observed in the corpus epididymis (p<0.01) and testis (p<0.05). Our results indicated that GNAQ exists at high concentrations in the caput and cauda epididymis of sheep, suggesting that GNAQ may play an important role in gonad development and sperm maturation.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.730-736
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• 1999

The roundnose flounder's (Eopsetta grigorjewi) spermiogenesis and fine structure of the spermatozoon were examined by means of the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, During the spermiogenesis, the chromatin of the spermatid became fine granular form, and progressively condensed into many large globules, finally homogeneously condensed in the spermatozoan head. The main characteristics of the spermiogenesis were the disappearanre of Golgi complex, the appearance of microfilament the reduction of mitochondria and the appearance of Iysosome in the cytoplasm. A spermatozoon consisted of head and tail, but the acrosome was absent. The cytoplasmic collar containing seven mitochondria was observed in the posterior part of the head. The well-developed axonemal lateral fins were observed in the tail. The cross section of the axial filament showed '9+2' axonemal structure of microtubules, and the numerous vesicles were observed in the cytoplasm.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 1999

The image analyser was used for the measurement of the morphological changes of the spermatogenic cells and seminiferous tubules in the pheasant during the breeding and non breeding season. 1. The seminiferous tubules were enlarged 2.57 times during the breeding season than during the non breeding season. Only Sertoli cells and spermatogonia in the seminiferous tubules can be found during the non breeding season. 2. There is no significantly difference in the ratio of nucleus area against that of cell size in the spermatogonium between breeding and non breeding season. The ratio of area was 28.71% and 29.11%, respectively. However, the enlargement of spermatogonium was noticed during the non breeding season. 3. The highest value of the ratio of the nucleus area against that of cell size among the germ cells was measured 37.40% in the pachytene phase of the spermatocyte during the breeding season. 4. The ratio of nucleus area against that of cell size in the spermatid was 22.53%.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.54-63
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• 2018

We investigated the effect of $CO_2$ exposure on the reproductive process of chameleon goby Tridentiger trigonocephalus. Rearing aquaria were exposed for 90 days to $CO_2$ gas through diffuser connected with pH controller maintaining at pH 7.2 ($156.31{\pm}7.90ppm$) in low treatment, and at pH 6.5 ($274.17{\pm}6.51ppm$) in high treatment. $CO_2$ treatment had no significant effects on survival rates although the value was decreased compared to the controls. In female fish, $CO_2$ treatment had no significant effects on gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and condition factor (CF). However, high $CO_2$ treatment decreased HSI and CF in males significantly compared to the controls (P<0.05). The spawning occurrence was 6 times in the low level $CO_2$ treatment, and 4 times in the high level $CO_2$ treatment although only once in the controls. For the histological observations, there was no significant difference in $CO_2$ treatments. However, in male fish, $CO_2$ treatment delayed the formation of sperm from spermatid compared to controls. These results suggest $CO_2$ may disrupt reproductive process by delaying gametogenesis in chameleon goby and it was more sensitive in males.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate the testicular toxicity of environmental toxicant, 2-bromopropane(2-BP) recently caused occupational intoxication in Korea by light microscopy and electron microscopy. To evaluate the effect on spermatogenesis and find target germ cell 10 weeks old male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 5g/10m ℓ/kg/day of 2-bromopropane for 3 consecutive days orally and observed on day 1 or day 7 after treatment. 2-BP induced depletion of spermatogonia and early spermatocytes on stages I-IX or extensive degeneration of germ cells on the other stages on day 1. But extensive degeneration of germ cells without stage specificity was observed and round spermatid formed multinucleated giant cells in the lumen of seminiferous tubules on day 7. Electron microscopically Sertoli cells showed irregular shape of nucleus and cytoplasmic vauolation. And spermatocyte showed a extensive heterochromatin and cytoplasmic vacuolation. But there was no histopathological changes in the interstial cells. On the base of the results the target germ cell was spermatogonia in the early of the study but Srtoli cells also effected by high-dosed 2-BP in the late of the study.