Occurrence of Sperm Antibodies in Adult Rats after Prefertile Traumatic vas Lesions

Abstract

The occurrence of sperm antibodies has been studied in adult rats, which at prefertile age had been subjected to unilateral vasectomy, unilateral or bilateral crush injury of the vas or bilateral resection of the ductal artery. By means of indirect immunofluorescence technique, circulating sperm antibodies could be demonstrated in the blood in all groups 13 weeks postoperatively: unilateral vasectomy 15/17 (88%), unilateral crush injury 14/20 (70%), bilateral crush injury 13/20 (65%) and vascular injury 14/20 (70%). Sperm granulomas were observed in the unilateral vasectomy group (14/17) and in the bilateral crush injury group (4/20), whereas no sperm granulomas were seen in the unilateral crush injury or the vascular injury group.

Key words:

• sperm antibodies
• prefertile vas injury
• prefertile unilateral vasectomy
• sperm granulomas