Table 2.
Morphometric changes following X-ray irradiation of the testis of Albino rats
| Aspects | Control (non-X-ray-irradiated testis) | X-ray-irradiated testis | X-ray-irradiated testis with melatonin pretreatment | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight of the testis (g) | 1.5 ± 0.04 | 0.9 ± 0.01 | 1.6 ± 0.08 | <0.05 |
| Volume proportions of interstitial tissue | 9.7% | 16.7% | 10.6% | <0.05 |
| Seminiferous tubules | ||||
| Volume proportion | 93.1% | 80.4% | 91.2% | <0.05 |
| Diameter (μm) | 272.1 ± 5.0 | 221.4 ± 8.0 | 251.3 ± 3.0 | <0.05 |
| Epithelial height (μm) | 95.8 ± 4.0 | 69.2 ± 3.0 | 87.6 ± 4.0 | <0.05 |
| Pachytene spermatocyte nuclear diameter (μm) | 11.2 ± 0.3 | 8.7 ± 0.2 | 9.9 ± 0.4 | NS |
| Leydig cells | ||||
| Nuclear surface area/total cell-surface area | 22.4% | 31.8% | 25.1% | <0.05 |
| Nuclear diameter | 7.24 ± 0.05 | 6.21 ± 0.04 | 7.12 ± 0.03 | NS |
| Mitotic figures (A-spermatogonia) | 18.8 ± 2.3 | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 30.2 ± 3.3 | <0.01 |
NS, none significant. P values (mentioned in the table) refer to the differences between the values for XRI testis and the values for XRI testis with melatonin pretreatment. Also, the differences between the values for non-irradiated testis and the values for XRI testis reached the level of statistical significance (P < 0.05).