Iron-induced injury of rat testis

Summary. Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected twice with 0.4 mmol kg⁻¹ FeSO₄. One, 2 and 4 days after the second Fe injection, Fe and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in testis was measured, the morphology studied by light and electron microscopy and the number of spermatids counted. After Fe injection, Fe and MDA content had increased in parallel. Light microscopic inspection on days 1 and 2 after Fe injection revealed numerous necroses in the different cell types of the germ epithelium. Four days after Fe injection, fewer alterations were found. Electron microscopic investigations revealed that some spermatids contained up to three nuclei and at least three axonemes. In some sperm tails up to 11 axonemes were found. In some midpieces two or three complexes of axonemes, outer dense fibres and mitochondria were observed. In other midpieces axonemes were absent and replaced by granular and filamentous material. The number of spermatids was reduced 4 days after Fe treatment. The increase in the number of axonemes was similar to that seen in Mg and Zn deficiency, indicating that the increase in Fe content and oxygen free radicals is the major reason for the biochemical and morphological alterations in Mg and Zn deficiency.