Effects of cyproterone acetate and oestradiol benzoate on the rat testis. Morphometric study after treatment over 35 days

The testes of juvenile and adult rats were subjected to a histomorphometric and ultramorphometric examination after a 5-week cyproterone acetate and oestradiol benzoate treatment respectively. In the cyproterone acetate animals only minor changes of spermatogenesis are found in contrast to the oestradiol benzoate ones. The juvenile rats were not differing from those in the control group. In the older rats a reduction of the spermatocytes area portion in the basal zone of seminiferous epithelium can be proven. Oestradiol benzoate leads to an arrest of spermatogenesis at the stage of spermatocytes or the early spermatids respectively. At the same time the median diameter of seminiferous tubulus and the total area of seminiferous epithelium has considerably decreased in comparison to the treatment with anti-androgen. By the applied method an influence of the two substances on the spermatogonia was not recognizable.