Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency affects spermatogenesis at the embryonic and immature stages in rats

• Toshiaki Watanabe

• Shuhei Ebara

• Sachiko Kimura

• Kunihiko Maeda

• Yoshitaka Watanabe

• Hiroshi Watanabe

• Shigenobu Kasai

• Yoshihisa Nakano

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• Maternal vitamin B₁₂deficiency affects spermatogenesis at the embryonic and immature stages in rats

Abstract

ABSTRACT  To evaluate the role of cobalamin (Cbl) on spermatogenesis, the effect of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency on early spermatogenesis was histologically investigated in male fetuses and newborns in the first filial generation (F1 males) of rats. There was no difference in the number of gonocytes and supporting cells of Sertoli in the gonad in male fetuses on day 16 of gestation and in the testes in F1 males at 0 days of age between vitamin B12-deficient (VB12-D) and vitamin B12-supplemented (VB12-S) groups. However, at 21 days of age, a decreased number of spermatogonia and no spermatocytes were observed in the VB12-D group. Numerous TUNEL positive cells were located among spermatocytes of the spermatogenic epithelium. The ultrastructural features examined using transmission electron microscopy were considered to be indicative of apoptosis. The incidence of seminiferous tubules having apoptotic cells was 51.5% in the VB12-D group. At 60 days of age, aplasia of the spermatids and spermatozoa was detected in the VB12-D group. In the connective tissue between the seminiferous tubules, many interstitial Leydig cells and blood vessels were observed in the VB12-D group, as compared with the VB12-S group. These changes produced by vitamin B12 deficiency can be reversed by providing a VB12-S diet after weaning at 21 days of age. From these findings, such a vitamin B12 deficiency during gestation and lactation could affect the germ cells and especially damage spermatocytes in F1 male rats, which indicates that Cbl may be an essential constituent in the meiosis of spermatogenesis.

Journal

• official journal of Congeital Anomalies Research Association of Japan

  official journal of Congeital Anomalies Research Association of Japan 47 (1), 9-15, 2007

  The Japanese Teratology Society

Keywords

• Developmental Biology
• Embryology
• General Medicine
• Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

Details

• CRID: 1390289000162209792
• NII Article ID: 10027386086
• NII Book ID: AN10066760
• DOI: 10.24540/cgafa.47.1_9
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4520.2006.00135.x
• ISSN: 24331503
• ISSN: 17414520
• ISSN: 00372285
• ISSN: 09143505
• Web Site: https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1741-4520.2006.00135.x
• Web Site: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1741-4520.2006.00135.x
• Web Site: https://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2007264439
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed