Biology of Reproduction, Vol 12, 483-490, Copyright © 1975 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Studies on the Rat Epididymal Blood Vessels Following Alpha-Chlorohydrin Administration

¹ Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
² Gametrics Limited, 180 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, California, 94965.

The vascular effects of -chlorohydrin on the rat epididymis were studied using vital staining, microangiography as well as light and electron microscopy. Long term treatment with a daily dose of 5 mg/kg induced infertility in male rats but did not influence any of the parameters studied. A single high dose (100 mg/kg) caused within four hours signs of increased capillary permeability in the initial segment and in a short segment in the cauda epididymis. Permeability changes in the initial segment were closely related to epithelial damage, the latter probably being the primary site of action of high dose of -chlorohydrin. Efferent duct ligature, experimental cryptorchidism and estrogen treatment prevented the occurrence of the initial segment damage. This shows that an active absorption of the testicular fluid in the initial segment is needed and precipitates the -chlorohydrin damage, probably because of a high local concentration of the drug.