HISTOLOGIC ALTERATIONS OF THE SUBMANDIBUL AR GLANDS AND TESTICLES INDUCED BY SOY AND ZINC-DEFICIENT DIETS

The purpose of this study was to examine in rats the histologic altera tions of the submandibular glands and testicles induced by soy diets a nd zinc deficients diet. The zinc deficiency produced testicles altera tions including seminiferous tubulus atrophy, germinative epithelium d egeneration, spermatogenesis alterations and a significant atrophy of the submandibular glands which presented no much delimitated acines. T he soy diet without complementations also compromised the spermatogene sis by showing seminiferous tubulus atrophied and a reduction of the g erminative epithelium. The soy diet complemented by saline and vitamin ic mixtures didn't produced testicles alterations but its induced in t he submandibular glands a hypertrophy of the ductal component mainly i n relation to the granular component.