Saturday, August 30, 2008

Fertility following sympathectomy

Both chemically and surgically induced sympathectomy increased the weight of the epididymis and seminal vesicles/coagulating glands as well as the number and the transit time of cauda epididymal sperm. Neither serum testosterone levels nor LH was affected by treatment with guanethidine. Using natural mating, no litters were produced by guanethidine-treated rats. Chemically denervated rats failed to produce copulatory plugs or ejaculate into the uterus. However, distal cauda epididymal sperm from chemically or surgically denervated rats displayed normal fertilization ability (80%) using in utero inseminations.
Biology of Reproduction 59, 897-904 (1998)
©Copyright 1998 Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Fertility of Rat Epididymal Sperm after Chemically and Surgically Induced Sympathectomy1

Wilma De G. Kempinas2,a, Juan D. Suarezb, Naomi L. Robertsb, Lillian F. Straderb, Janet Ferrellb, Jerome M. Goldmanb, Michael G. Narotskyb, Sally D. Perreaultb, Donald P. Evensonc, Deborah D. Rickerd, , and Gary R. Klinefelterb