Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and Objectives

There has so far been controversy among researches about the effect of unilateral blunt testis trauma on structure and function of contra lateral testis. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of unilateral blunt testicular trauma after a time span of spermatogenesis (40 days) on the number of round and elongated spermatic cells, spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, sertoli and leydig cells of contra-lateral testis as well as to assess the protective effect of zinc on unilateral blunt testicular trauma.

Methods

In this experimental study 30 pre-pubertal male Wistar rats (age 7 weeks) were divided into three equal groups (n=10). Group 1(control) underwent a sham operation of the left testis under general anesthesia. Rats in group II and group III (with blunt testicular trauma) were subjected to left blunt testicular trauma to rupture the tunica albuginea. In group III just after the trauma, 30 mg/kg zinc sulfate were given intra-peritoneally followed by admission of Zn for 40 days at a dose of 500 parts per million (ppm) /day orally. Later on, all rats were sacrificed and their right testes were removed and after histological processing and staining by H & E method the samples were evaluated by counting round and elongated spermatid cells, spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, sertoli and leydig cells and also by cell structures study. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey and Duncan's tests and pvalue of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

There were no significant differences in the number of round and elongated spermatid, spermatogonia, sertoli and leydig cells of testis of the three groups(P>0.05). Histological changes in sertoli and leydig cell were seen. Therefore, the protective effect of zinc was not significant on germ cell proliferation and structure.

Conclusion

The results suggest that unilateral blunt testis trauma after time course of 40 days has no effect on germ cell layers and leydig and sertoli cells proliferation. This study suggests long term evaluation of testes after blunt trauma with use of electron microscope.