EFFECT OF FORMALDEHYDE ON INTERSTITIAL TISSUE OF SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES IN TESTIS OF BALB/C MICE

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Formaldehyde is one of agents with absorbable potential which can use in industry and also in many productions such as technical, pharmaceutical and sanitary compounds. Previous study shown that formaldehyde can affect on testicular tissue and reduce spermatogenesis phenomena. This study was carried out to determine the effects of formaldehyde on leydig cells and testicular vasculogenesis.METHODS: Twenty mature male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (n=10). Experimental group were administered 0.25 mg/kg body weight dissolved formaldehyde intraperitoneally for 10 days. The control groups were received the same volume of normal saline during the same period of times. At the end of exposure time, animals were scarified and their testes were removed for processing, serially sectioned and immunohistochemistry by using PCNA method were carried out.FINDINGS: The finding revealed that the numerical density of leydig cells decreased significantly in experimental group in contrast controls (42 versus 66 per/m3 respectively). In addition, a number of shrinkage and picnotic leydig cells indicated occurrence of chromatolysis phenomena in experimental group.CONCLUSION: These data reveal that administration of formaldehyde may result in significant structural changes in male reproductive system such as interstitial tissue of seminiferous tubules and cell death among leydig cells population.