Suppression and recovery of spermatogenesis in dibromochloropropane treated rats.

Fertile male rats were injected subcutaneously with DBCP dissolved in DMSO at a dose of 20 mg DBCP/kg BW once a week for three consecutive weeks. One testis was removed 3-7 weeks after the last injection. Following standard histological procedure the percentage of damaged seminiferous tubules was determined. Damage to various degrees was noted in 70% of the injected animals. No damage was evident in the control animals injected with the solvent alone. The second testis was removed about 27 weeks later. In about 70% of the animals showing damage in the first testis recovery was evident with presence of active spermatogenesis as revealed in histological sections. There was some loss of body weight during the DBCP injection period compared with controls. However, with time these differences disappeared. At sacrifice, testis, liver and kidneys weights were reduced in the DBCP treated animals as compared with the controls. Testicular weight was negatively correlated with the degree of observed testicular damage but not correlated with the degree of testicular recovery.