RESUMO
Phyto-oestrogens are a group of biologically active plant-based compounds, they are present in the edible plants, Phyto-oestrogens are found in many foods including: wheat rice, oats, barley, carrots, potatoes, apples, parsley and soya beans. The present study was carried out to study the ultra-structural possible changes that might occur in the seminiferous tubules of young adult male albino rats after the continuous consumption of a diet rich in soya beans [a rich source of Phyto-oestrogens]. Twenty young adult male albino rats were used. They were divided into two main groups: A control group, and a second group further subdivided into two subgroups: the first subgroup was provided with grinded soya beans as half of its total amount of consumed food for one month, the second subgroup [withdrawal group] had the same regimen as the first subgroup, then fed standard diet for another month. Results revealed that seminiferous tubules of the first subgroup showed variable degrees of degeneration from mild to severe in all types of cells, the sertoli and the spermatogenic cells. The mildly affected sertoli cells showed mitochondrial affection and large sized lipid droplets. The severely affected cells showed pyknotic irregular nuclei and many cytoplasmic vacuoles of different sizes and shapes. The mildly affected spermatogenic cells exhibited mitochondrial alternation and nuclear and cellular membranes affection. The severely affected cells showed, small sized irregular nuclei, multiple autophagic vacuoles, lysed cytoplasm and malformed spermatozoa. Seminiferous tubules of the withdrawal group showed persistence of the degenerative changes occurring in all the cells in a more profound way. Mitochondrial affection was still manifest, the sertoli cells .showed also many secondary lysosomes. The spermatogenic cells showed wide intra and intercellular spaces and many vacuolated cells. The spermatozoa depicted frequent degrees of abnormalities and malformations. The present study showed that Phyto-oestrogens provided regularly to young adult male rats can cause degenerative cellular changes affecting spermato and spermiogenesis