Biomaterial Database

Ultrastructural changes in the Leydig cell on treatment with vincristine. 1994

A Stanley, and M A Akbarsha

Department of Animal Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, India.

The effect of vincristine (VCR), an anticancer drug which brings about mitotic arrest by disturbing the microtubules of the spindle fibres, on the Leydig cells was investigated adopting ultrastructural and RIA of hormone techniques. The Leydig cells of VCR treated rats were necrotic and oedematous with severe damage caused to the steroidogenic machinery, viz the mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Such damage was duly reflected in the serum levels of hormones, wherein the androgen level was decreased with compensatory hypersecretion of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. The results strongly implicate VCR in Leydig cell toxicity, and explain the problems in the reproductive performance faced by cancer patients receiving VCR as one of the drugs, both during treatment and after remission.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007985	Leydig Cells	Steroid-producing cells in the interstitial tissue of the TESTIS. They are under the regulation of PITUITARY HORMONES; LUTEINIZING HORMONE; or interstitial cell-stimulating hormone. TESTOSTERONE is the major androgen (ANDROGENS) produced.	Interstitial Cells, Testicular,Leydig Cell,Testicular Interstitial Cell,Testicular Interstitial Cells,Cell, Leydig,Cell, Testicular Interstitial,Cells, Leydig,Cells, Testicular Interstitial,Interstitial Cell, Testicular
D007986	Luteinizing Hormone	A major gonadotropin secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Luteinizing hormone regulates steroid production by the interstitial cells of the TESTIS and the OVARY. The preovulatory LUTEINIZING HORMONE surge in females induces OVULATION, and subsequent LUTEINIZATION of the follicle. LUTEINIZING HORMONE consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity.	ICSH (Interstitial Cell Stimulating Hormone),Interstitial Cell-Stimulating Hormone,LH (Luteinizing Hormone),Lutropin,Luteoziman,Luteozyman,Hormone, Interstitial Cell-Stimulating,Hormone, Luteinizing,Interstitial Cell Stimulating Hormone
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008928	Mitochondria	Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D004334	Drug Administration Schedule	Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience.	Administration Schedule, Drug,Administration Schedules, Drug,Drug Administration Schedules,Schedule, Drug Administration,Schedules, Drug Administration
D004721	Endoplasmic Reticulum	A system of cisternae in the CYTOPLASM of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (CELL MEMBRANE) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. If the outer surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes are coated with ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum is said to be rough-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ROUGH); otherwise it is said to be smooth-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, SMOOTH). (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Ergastoplasm,Reticulum, Endoplasmic
D005640	Follicle Stimulating Hormone	A major gonadotropin secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Follicle-stimulating hormone stimulates GAMETOGENESIS and the supporting cells such as the ovarian GRANULOSA CELLS, the testicular SERTOLI CELLS, and LEYDIG CELLS. FSH consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity.	FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone),Follicle-Stimulating Hormone,Follitropin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013739	Testosterone	A potent androgenic steroid and major product secreted by the LEYDIG CELLS of the TESTIS. Its production is stimulated by LUTEINIZING HORMONE from the PITUITARY GLAND. In turn, testosterone exerts feedback control of the pituitary LH and FSH secretion. Depending on the tissues, testosterone can be further converted to DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE or ESTRADIOL.	17-beta-Hydroxy-4-Androsten-3-one,17-beta-Hydroxy-8 alpha-4-Androsten-3-one,8-Isotestosterone,AndroGel,Androderm,Andropatch,Androtop,Histerone,Sterotate,Sustanon,Testim,Testoderm,Testolin,Testopel,Testosterone Sulfate,17 beta Hydroxy 4 Androsten 3 one,17 beta Hydroxy 8 alpha 4 Androsten 3 one,8 Isotestosterone