THE EFFECTS OF ALLOXAN DIABETES ON THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF YOUNG MALE RATS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Male rats 23 days of age were rendered diabetic by subcutaneous injections of alloxan. Diabetes was determined one week later on the basis of urine sugar concentration. At regular intervals following treatment animals were sacrificed and the testes, seminal vesicles and prostate gland removed for histological study. Severe diabetes resulted in failure of descent of the testes, failure of development of the germinal epithelium and castrate-type accessory organs. A more moderate diabetic condition resulted in delayed testicular descent, delayed onset of spermatogenesis and development of accessory structures. Control rats maintained on an inadequate diet were comparable to the moderate diabetics. Treatment with insulin corrected all the deleterious effects of diabetes on the reproductive system. In diabetic animals, not receiving insulin, treatment with chorionic gonadotrophin resulted in hypertrophy of interstitial cells and some development of accessory structures, but did not bring about testicular descent nor onset of spermatogenesis. Treatment with testosterone stimulated accessory structures, but did not affect testicular descent.