[Early changes in the permeability of cellular and lysosomal membrane in rat testes after local heating of the scrotum].

Immersion of rat scrotum into water (41 degrees C) for 30 min leads to gross impairment of spermatogenesis. During incubation in Ringer-Krebs solution at 33 degrees C for 1h, fragments of the decapsulated testes taken from the heated rats secrete to the medium a high amount of substances that increase the optical density of the incubation liquid at 270 nm. This phenomenon can be recorded shortly after scrotum heating is completed. The optical density increases further 12 and 24 h after heating. During incubation, fragments of the testes heated in vivo also secrete a high amount of the lysosomal enzymes, acid phosphatase and cathepsin D. It is assumed that post-thermal degeneration of the spermatogenic epithelium may be determined by a change in the permeability of cellular and lysosomal membranes.