Stress and Testicular Integrity; Impacts of Cryptorchidism and Dexamethasone in Adult Wistar Rats (Rattus Novergicus)

Impacts of cryptorchidism and dexamethasone (Corticosterone analogue drug) as forms of stressors on the testicular integrity of adult wistar rats were investigated in this study. Several forms of stressors had been implicated in male infertility as the hallmark consequence of hormonal dysfunction, primary spermatogenic failure, ejaculatory disorders, and obstruction and testicular dysfunction. Adult wistar rats were exposed to unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism respectively; Two groups of Five (5) animals of the exposed, were treated with 10 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone. The administration of dexamethasone was done for a period of seven (7) days following unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism exposure. The animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation and testes exposed following midline abdominal incision. The right caudal epididymis was ligated for sperm analysis and the left testes fixed in Bouin's fluid for histological analysis. Significant reduction in the sperm motility, sperm count and abnormal sperm morphology characterized animals exposed to both unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism. Spermatogonia degeneration, distortion in the spermatogonia lineage differentiation and abnormal widening interstitial spaces form the typical features of the cryptorchids testes group and cryptorchids testes group exposed to dexamethasone administration. However, control animals maintained the testicular integrity and the characteristic sperm analysis. Therefore, cryptorchidism and dexamethasone exposure contribute to the form of stressors that destruct spermatogonia population linage with consequent alteration in sperm characteristics causing increased in defective spermatozoa, promoting infertility among male.

Key Words: Male infertility, Cryptorchidism, Dexamethasone, Testes, Stressors and wistar rats