Effects on rabbit spermatogenesis following orthostatic collapse. Light microscope qualitative and quantitative studies

Forty rabbits were submitted to orthostatic collapse, divided into 9 groups and sacrificed 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours, 4, 7, 15, 30 and 45 days following collapse. Ten animals were used as controls. The testis and epididymis were submitted to microscopic examination. The most striking change was necrosis of seminiferous cells which was most severe in the 24-hour group. The most susceptible cell to necrosis was the primary spermatocyte whilst spermatogonia, Sertoli cells and Leydig cells were not damaged. Other frequent changes included hypertrophic spermatocytes, hypertrophic early spermatids, nonelongated late spermatids, nonelongated multinucleated late spermatids, multinucleated and binucleated early spermatids. A quantitative study done by counting tubular cross-sections with presence of the changes described showed a significant increase of frequency in the rabbits submitted to orthostatic collapse. The histological changes can be related primarily to the circulatory disturbance leading to oligaemia and consequently to anoxia and are strikingly similar to those following experimental ischemia of testis.