Nicotine toxicity to the ultrastructure of the testis in rats

Objective To investigate the influence of nicotine exposure on the ultrastr ucture of the rat testis. Materials and methods Twenty rats were injected with nicotine at a dose of 0.4 mg/100 g body weight daily for 3 months; a group of 20 control rats mat ched for weight and age were injected with saline only for the same duratio n. The testes were then harvested and examined by transmission electron mic roscopy. Results Rats given nicotine showed: thickening of the tunica propria, cause d by an increase in the collagen fibres under the irregular basal lamina; d egeneration of junctional specializations between the Sertoli cells, with m alformed nuclei showing condensed chromatin; Sertoli cells with numerous po lymorphic mitochondria with irregular cristae and an electron-dense matrix. The germ cells were degenerated, spermatids retained excess cytoplasm and accumulated electron-dense lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. The acrosomes w ere irregular and abnormally configured. Conclusion There were ultrastructural alterations in rats exposed to nicoti ne that could be attributed to the detrimental effects of nicotine on germ cells, peritubular structures and Sertoli cells.