Impairment of rat spermatogenesis following unilateral experimental ischemia.

When one testis in a rat is rendered ischemic, histologic damage occurs in the contralateral testis, which can be explained on immunologic grounds. An increase in the quantity of a naturally circulating cytotoxic antitestis antibody or an alteration in the specificity of this antibody was observed via cytotoxic antibody tests. Immunocytochemical techniques further demonstrated this phenomenon, showing binding of fluorescein-labeled antibody to sections of normal control testis or to sections of contralateral testis. It appeared that the ischemic testis presented altered ischemic cells or normal cells to the immune system as its blood-testis barrier was broken down. It is suggested that to leave a necrotic testis within the scrotum following prolonged torsion of the testis in the human may be a reason for subfertility or infertility in this type of condition, and a similar result may occur following unilateral testicular damage caused by varicocele or orchitis.