Meeting Abstract

P1.26  Wednesday, Jan. 4  Effects of agro-chemicals on testicular recrudesence in Sceloporus undulatus MATTER, John M*; WAGNER, Desiree; PIERCE, Sarah; Juniata College; Juniata College; Juniata College matter@juniata.edu

Many studies have examined the effects of endocrine-disrupting compounds on embryonic development, particularly gonadal differentiation and sex determination. We examined the effects of agro-chemical compounds on testicular maturation in a reptile model, the fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). We treated groups of male lizards with the following compounds for six weeks, including the period of gonadal recrudesence: A) atrazine, B) trans-nonachlor, C) o,p’-DDE, D) p,p’-DDE and E) estradiol. A group of lizards treated with acetone served as a vehicle-control group. By the end of the treatment period, control males exhibited normal seminiferous tubule enlargement and spermatogenic proliferation. Only male lizards treated with estradiol exhibited significantly different testes volumes, being approximately 40% smaller than testes from control males. Additionally, estradiol-treated males exhibited smaller seminiferous tubule diameters and a lack of spermatogenesis, as evidenced by seminiferous tubules containing only Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and few proliferative cells. Treatment with agro-chemical compounds resulted in a variety of subtle alterations in spermatogenic activity, as indicated by abnormal cell divisions in the spermatocytes of lizards treated with atrazine and the DDEs.