| Objective To study the effects of low-temperature on male reproductive function in rats. Methods Thirty-six male Wister rats were randomly divided into four groups: high-exposure group, meddle-exposure group, low-exposure group and control group, medium-exposure group, low-exposure group and control group including 8 rats respectively, and high-exposure group including 12 rats (4 of them being used to the ultrastructure analysis). The exposure groups experienced a low-temperature test for 45 d. After the test, the serum concentrations of testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and sperm quality were measured in each group, and the ultrastructure of testis were analyzed in high-exposure group. Results The concentrations serum of T were (65.76±27.70) μg/L, (44.43±7.92) μg/L, (43.61±6.92) μg/L and (37.66 ±5.78) μg/L, and the serum concentrations of LH were (169.83±38.91) μg/L, (180.63±31.77) μg/L, (150.69±18.21) μg/L and (122.76 ±16.74) ug/L) ug/L in control group, low-exposure group, middle-exposure group and high-exposure group ,respectively.Compared with control group, the serum concentrations of T in the three exposure groups decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with control group and low-exposure group, the serum concentrations of LH in the high-exposure group decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01) . Compared with control group, the sperm count, sperm motility and sperm motility in the high-exposure group were significantly lower than those in the medium exposure group (P<0.01).Compared with the control group, the sperm qualities were significantly lower in high-exposure group and middle-exposure group (P<0.05, P<0.01).The ultrastructure of testis in high-exposure group showed that no mature sperm was found in the lumen of somniferous tubule, vacuoles appeared in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells, autophagic bodies increased and appeared lipid, medullary substances and membranous structure. Conclusion Low-temperature can result into changes in reproductive hormones, sperm quality and abnormalities in testicular ultrastructure in male rats, which may lead to the decline of male reproductive function in rats. |
