ABSTRACT
Acrylamide [AA] has been shown to be a reproductive toxicant in animals and is associated with risk of cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dose-dependent acute testicular toxicity of AA in rats. Experimental study King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Forty-eight rats Animals were loaded with AA orally at doses [5, 15, 30, 45, 60 mg/kg/day] for five consecutive days Histopathological effects of AA on testis and epididymis AA induced a significant body weight reduction, increase in testis / body weight ratio and a significant reduction in sperm count, in the two groups treated with 45 mg and 60 mg/kg/day. Abnormal sperm shapes were detected in all groups. Histopathological signs of AA toxicity on testes and epididymis included; degeneration of spermatogonia, widening of intercellular junctions and degeneration of peritubular myoid cell. Sertoli cells showed darkening of its nuclei, detachment from the basement membrane, increase in the number and size of lipid droplets in their cytoplasm, failure of sperm release and phagocytosis of some sperms. Leydig cell atrophy was observed which contributed to sperm defects and various abnormal histopathological lesions including apoptosis in rat testis. A possible cause of tail intersegmentation seen in mature sperm tails was clarified by electron microscope [EM]examination. AA induced harmful effects on the testis evidenced by degeneration of spermatogenic and Sertoli cells and Leydig cells atrophy in addition to reducing sperm count and appearance of abnormal sperms
ABSTRACT
The best developmental stage and the best thawing protocol suitable for cryopreservation of the early embryos are not well documented. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of the ultra rapid cryopreservation [vitrification] technique, followed by slow or fast thawing protocol, on the fertilized ova, 4-cell embryos and morula. The vitrification method included equilibrating the ova in the vitrification solution [EFS40; consisted of 40% ethylene glycol, 30% Ficoll, 0.5 M sucrose in D-PBS] for 2 minutes before immersion in liquid nitrogen. Slow and fast thawing were done and the cryoprotectants were withdrawn by a hyperosmolar sucrose solution, which was then gradually diluted and replaced by culture medium. The best results were obtained with vitrification of the 4-cell embryos both with slow and fast thawing, which gave survival rate of 86% and 94%, and in vitro development rate of 74% and 80%, respectively. Fast thawing showed better survival rates [80%, 94%, 77%] and better in vitro development rates [60%, 80%, 63%] than those of slow thawing, following vitrification of the fertilized ova, 4-cell embryos and morula, respectively. These criteria of vitrification/ thawing could be inferred to the human 4-cell embryos in the IVF protocol