ABSTRACT
The use of mobile phones with the resulting generation of potentially harmful electromagnet fields [EMF] is the focus of public interest. The harmful effect induced by pulsed microwave, currents associated with the use of mobile phones is now considered one of the physical injuries. This study was carried out on 60 male albino rats, divided into prepubertal group [one month old] and young adult group [7 months old]. Each group was sub-divided into control group [6 animals and exposed group [24 animals] the latter was furtherly subdivided equally into 10 minutes exposed group and 20 minutes exposed group according to the duration of exposure to EMF of mobile phone. In this study there were significant increases in the premeiotic testicular enzymes [B- glucuronidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase] and significant decreases in the post-meiotic testicular enzymes [sorbitol dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase] in the exposed groups as compared to their corresponding control groups. However the young adult exposed groups have shown significant changes in these testicular enzymes whe compared to their corresponding prepubertal exposed groups. The histopathological and ultrastructural studies have shown severe damage of the semineferous tubules and shrinkage in the tubular components of the testis that was more obvious in the 20 minutes exposed groups. After 10 minutes of exposure, the prepubertal group showed thickening and splitting of the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules with seperation of germ cells while ultrastructural examination revealed few spermatogonia with marked apoptotic changes in the form of chromatin condensation, swollen mitochondria with degenerated cristae. There was slight necrotic changes in the form of vacuolizations and active lysozomes in most of germ and Sertoli cells. In the 20 minutes exposed prepubertal group there were: decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules with seperation of germ cells away from the basment membrane of the seminiferous tubules, shrunken nucleous of Sertoli cells and abnormal opermatid. Also, there were marked necrotic changes in the germ an Sertoli cells indicated by marked rarifaction of the cytoplasm. However, the young adult exposed groups have shown lesser ultrastructural changes than the prepubertal exposed groups. In conclusion exposure to EMF associated with mobile phones has shown detremintal effect on the process of spermatogenesis particularly before puberty