Biomaterial Database

The effects of light deprivation/blindness on testicular function of gerbil (Meriones hurrianae Jerdon). 1977

V P Dixit, and O P Sharma, and M Agrawal

1. Light deprivation either by enucleation or darkness resulted in a wide-spread testicular damage. The changes consisted of loss of type A spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa. 2. The atrophic testes of eyeless gerbils regenerated after 20 weeks and were indistinguishable from those of untreated, continuous light exposed animals. The reversible effects were not seen in continuous dark exposure. 3. Light deprivation (enucleation/continuous darkness) inhibits the synthesis of RNA, protein and sialic acid in the testes, epididymides and seminal vesicles. The testicular cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase activity was increased. 4. Haemoglobulin, haematrocrit and serum-transaminase levels were all the time within normal limits. Histological preparations of the liver showed normal architecture. 5. Reduced androgen production following a long term light deprivation was reflected in low levels of RNA and sialic acid in the testes and epididymides and shrunken Leydig cell nuclei. 6. In conclusion, light deprivation caused damage to the male genital tract of gerbils.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008297	Male		Males
D009928	Organ Specificity	Characteristic restricted to a particular organ of the body, such as a cell type, metabolic response or expression of a particular protein or antigen.	Tissue Specificity,Organ Specificities,Specificities, Organ,Specificities, Tissue,Specificity, Organ,Specificity, Tissue,Tissue Specificities
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011506	Proteins	Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein.	Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D001766	Blindness	The inability to see or the loss or absence of perception of visual stimuli. This condition may be the result of EYE DISEASES; OPTIC NERVE DISEASES; OPTIC CHIASM diseases; or BRAIN DISEASES affecting the VISUAL PATHWAYS or OCCIPITAL LOBE.	Amaurosis,Bilateral Blindness,Blindness, Bilateral,Blindness, Legal,Blindness, Monocular,Blindness, Unilateral,Sudden Visual Loss,Unilateral Blindness,Blindness, Acquired,Blindness, Complete,Blindness, Hysterical,Blindness, Transient,Acquired Blindness,Amauroses,Bilateral Blindnesses,Complete Blindness,Hysterical Blindness,Legal Blindness,Monocular Blindness,Sudden Visual Losses,Transient Blindness,Visual Loss, Sudden
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D003624	Darkness	The absence of light.	Darknesses
D005849	Gerbillinae	A subfamily of the Muridae consisting of several genera including Gerbillus, Rhombomys, Tatera, Meriones, and Psammomys.	Gerbils,Jird,Meriones,Psammomys,Rats, Sand,Gerbil,Jirds,Merione,Rat, Sand,Sand Rat,Sand Rats