Long-term effects of vasectomy on the pituitary-gonadal system of rat and mouse.

A long-term vasectomy operation in rat and mouse did not reveal any consistent change in the weights of testis and androgen dependent organs. Histological structure of the testis and caput epididymis remains normal after vasectomy. The androgenic activity of the testis remains normal as reflected by fructose content of seminal vesicles. Pituitary cytology remains unaltered. Yellowish cysts were observed frequently in the cauda epididymis of experimental animals, associated with increased epididymal weights. The protein and RNA content of the testis did not show appreciable change. A significant increase was observed in the protein and RNA content of epididymis after bilateral vasectomy. There was no effect of bilateral vasectomy on sialic acid contents of testis and epididymis of rats and seminal vesicular fructose contents of mouse.