HISTOMORPHOMETRIC AND HISTOLOGICAL INVEST IGATIONS OF THE MORPHOMETRIC EFFECTS OF FURAZOLIDONE ON THE SPERMIOGENESIS IN MATURE RATS

The antispermatongenic effects of furazolidone on the testes of mature Wistar rats were investigated using histological and morphometric met hods. The sections showed a varying degree of depopulation of the germ inal epithelium, a shrinking and a deformation of the Tubuli contorti, and an enlargement of the intertubular lymphatic sinuses. The strain led to a standstill in the spermatogenesis at the primary-spermatocyte stage. After administering furazolidone, the following results could be seen: a weightless of up to 42.1% and a decrease in testes volume b y up to 30.2% a decrease in the volume of the nuclei of the Leydig-cel ls by up to 51.6% a reduction in the diameter, perimeter and area cove red by Tubuli seminiferi contorti of up to 33.5%, 30.8%, and 53.4%, re spectively an increase in the number of Tubuli seminiferi contorti per mm(2) by up to 44.8% a decrease in the percentage of Tubuli seminifer i contorti of the total testes tissue by up to 39.1%