The Effect of Zinc Supplement (Zn) on Testicular Function in Microgravity

Subject Areas : Journal of Animal Biology

Mehdi Soleimani Damabi ¹ ( Department of Biology, Parand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran )
Amir Khoshvaghti ² ( Department of Science, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Aerospace and Subsurface Medicine, Tehran, Iran )
Amir Nezami-Asl ³ ( Department of Science, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Aerospace and Subsurface Medicine, Tehran, Iran )

Received: 2018-02-19 Accepted : 2018-02-19 Published : 2017-11-22

Keywords: Modeling, Zinc, sperm, Rat, Weightlessness,

Abstract :

Spaceflight experiments in microgravity environments revealed that spaceflight affected the physiology of the testis. We used the tail-suspension model to simulate microgravity and investigated its effect on tissue and function of the testis in sexually mature male rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups (N =6). Microgravity simulation was done by the tail hanging method; control 1) no tail traction, and tail suspension, control 2) no simulating micro angiitis just the zinc prescription and zinc was soluble in water. Groups include: 1) Just simulated microgravity, Group 2: Simulated microgravity and prescription zinc. Controls: 1: without any interventionist, 2: just used zinc. Semen, serum, and seminal plasma zinc were analyzed. LH and FSH were measured. Sample prepared from the epididymis of rats and Spermogram was performed. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software. The effect of microgravity on testosterone, LH, FSH, was significantly low in oligospermia, baseline sperm the concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, length and weight of the testicles, sperm with normal morphology. FSH, LH zinc treated groups were not significantly different from other groups. The negative effects on sperm parameters were significantly reduced.Dietary restriction of zinc can affect on microgravity testicular function adversely. The effect of zinc deficiency can prevent negative effects on sperm parameters.

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