Effects of dietary selenium (SE) on morphology of testis and cauda epididymis in rats

Selenium is an essential micronutrient for animals. To determine whether its excess in diet induces morphological changes within the male reproductive system, a detailed qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the changes in the histology of the testis and cauda epididymis was undertaken in male rats. Adult male albino rats were fed 6 and 8 ppm Se in diet for 6 and 9 weeks. Each male consuming 6 ppm Se was mated with two untreated females, their offsprings were allowed to mature upto 12 weeks of age. The testes and cauda epididymes of male rats were prepared for light microscopy. Excess of dietary Se caused dose-time-dependent reduction in body weight and reproductive organ weights but increase in number of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa. Histopathological studies of the testes and cauda epididymis have revealed that Se-rich diets cause dose-time-dependent reduction in tubular diameter, epithelial height, number of spermatogenic cells and disintegration of cellular associations in the seminiferous tubules of testes along with reduction in the diameter of cauda epididymal tubules and pseudostratification of their epithelial lining. Progeny (feeding on normal diet) of paternally treated rats has shown retarded growth.