Stage specific effect during one seminiferous epithelial cycle following ethylene glycol monomethyl ether exposure in rats.

Stage specific effect of single oral dose (500 mg/kg body wt) of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) was characterised during one cycle of seminiferous epithelium in rats. Maximum peritubular membrane damage and germinal epithelial distortion were observed at stages IX-XII. Cell death occurred during conversion of zygotene to pachytene spermatocytes (stage XIII) and between dividing spermatocytes and step I spermatids (stage late XIII-XIV). Profound effect was noted during first meiotic division than during second meiotic division. Presence of multinucleated secondary spermatocytes indicated cytokinesis arrest. The spermatogenesis was delayed and consequently frequency of tubules at stages I-VIII was reduced by day 10. Many of the tubules were devoid of round spermatids on day 12. Possibly, EGME (or it's metabolite) distorted the barrier system at stages IX-XIV and damaged the cells mostly at stages XII-early XIV.