NATURAL SCIENCES
Journal of fundamental
and
applied researches
Morphofunctional state of reproductive system in male rats under conditions of immobilization stress
2014. №4, pp. 47-54
Loginov Pavel V. - Ph.D. (Biology), Associate Professor, Astrakhan State Medical University, 121 Bakinskaya Str., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Federation, agma@astranet.ru
Teply David L. - D.Sc. (Biology), Professor, Head of Chair, Astrakhan State University, 1 Shaumyan Sq., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Federation, dima.tepliy@yandex.ru
The restriction of physical activity is a very powerful stressing factor that causes an emotional response in animals. The purpose of this work was to study the effects of immobilization stress on functional state of different units of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in white male rats. The animals weighing 200-220 g were subjected to immobilization by placing them into special plastic boxes for 4 hours daily during 30 days. The increase of erythrocyte peroxide haemolysis under experimental conditions testifies to oxidative stress development. Under conditions of immobilization, lipid peroxidation acceleration in testicular and hypothalamic tissues has been found to take place. The relative weights of gonads and pituitary were decreased to the end of experimental influence. Testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels decreased as a result of immobilization in accordance with the positive correlation coefficient r = +0.601. The total number of defective epididymal spermatozoa decreased by more than 3.5 times compared to the control. The leading disorders were broken and lost tails of spermatozoa. In the structure of seminiferous tubules, the features of spermatogenic epithelium necrosis took place on the background of interstitial tissue increase at the expense of small Leydig’s cells. Thus, immobilization stress causes functional disorders in all units of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Key words: lipid peroxidation, malonic dialdehyde, hypothalamus, testes, epididymal spermatozoa, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, Leydig’s cells, перекисное окисление липидов, малоновый диальдегид, гипоталамус, семенники, эпидидимальные сперматозоиды, тестостерон,