ON TESTIS AND EPlDlDYMlS OF RATS - Pondicherry University ...

of testosterone, estradiol, FSH, LH and prolactin were determined in extracellular
fluid to assess any alteration in their availability to target sites.
The two key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of testosterone are
3p-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and I7P-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. The
activities of 3P-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17P-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase have been used to study testicular steroidogenesis of rats in different
experimental conditions (Ghosh e! a/., 1991; 1995: Sujatha er u/., 2001). It has been
reported that increased production of reactive oxygen species decreased the activities
of steroidogenic enzymes in testis of rats (Sujatha el a/.. 2001). Determination of
activities of 30-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17P-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogcnase in testis reflected the status of steroidogenesis.
Nucleic acid contents in testis vary in different stages of spermatogenesis and
the amount of DNA in the primary spermatocyte, secondary spermatocyte and
spermatid has been shown to be present in the ratio of 4: 2: 1 (Davson and Segal,
1975). Protein and RNA synthesis occur both in somatic cells and in germ cells. In
the present study quantitative determination of DNA in testis indicated the rate of cell
division and subsequent maturation. Determination of the levels of FWA and protein
showed thc resultant effect of intracellular synthetic and breakdown processes.
The superoxide anion. nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide are reactive oxygen
species produced from the cell under normal cellular metabolism. Increased
production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide under oxidative stress has
been reported in the reproductive and and non-reproductive tissues of the animals
(Hassoun el 01.. 2001; Sujatha er al., 2001). Productions of superoxide anion, nitric
oxide and hydrogen peroxide were determined in testis as well as in the epididyrnal
sperm and epididymis in order to assess the levels of reactive oxygen species in
tissues.
The levels of antioxidants such as glutathione, a-tocopherol and ascorbic acid
play an imponant role in the maintenance of tissue against reactive oxygen species.
These antioxidants have been reported to be distributed in the subcellular