Ultrastructural changes in the vas deferens of langur monkeys Presbytis entellus entellus after vas occlusion with styrene maleic anhydride and afterits reversal

Ultrastructural changes in the vas deferens of langur monkeys after 150 day s of vas occlusion with styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) and after 150 days o f noninvasive reversal are reported. The vas deferens of the sham-operated control animals revealed active secretory and absorptive functions. The bas al cells showed prominent nucleus and sparse cytoplasmic organelles, and th e principal cells characterized by oval or irregular nucleus, well develope d mitochondria, Golgi bodies, rough endoplasmic reticulum, secretory granul es in the Golgi area, free ribosomes, and glycogen granules in the supranuc lear region suggesting secretory function. Vesicles and stereocilia in the apex region suggested absorptive functions of the vas deferens. Vas occlusi on by SMA resulted in exfoliation of epithelial cells, pyknotic nuclei, and vacuolated cytoplasm virtually devoid of cytoplasmic organelles and stereo cilia. After noninvasive reversal, the vas epithelium regained a state of n ormalcy as evidenced by prominent plasma membrane, nucleus, cytoplasmic org anelles, and stereocilia. The results suggest that the exfoliation of the e pithelium due to vas occlusion by SMA regains normalcy after 150 days of no ninvasive reversal. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.