Summary
Epididymal biopsies from rats that had undergone unilateral or bilateral vasectomies from one to eight months previously were compared with biopsies from their contralateral side or from normal controls to ascertain what ultrastructural changes had occurred. After vasectomy, spermatozoa appeared to dissolve in the lumen of the caput epididymidis and to be absorbed by the principal cells. About 5 weeks after vasectomy, numerous lamellar accumulations became apparent in the supernuclear region. Their resemblance to lysosomes or residual bodies was confirmed by an acid phosphatase reaction. After 10 weeks, similar lamellar and polymorphic accumulations on the contralateral side of animals with unilateral vasectomies indicated that resorption had also increased on the unligated side.
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Publication No. 627 of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center. This study was supported by NIH Grants No. RR-00163 and HD-05969.
The author wishes to thank Ms. J. Hren for her excellent technical assistance.
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Alexander, N.J. Ultrastructural changes in rat epididymis after vasectomy. Z.Zellforsch 136, 177–182 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307438
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307438