Male Reproductive Toxicology

Methods in Toxicology, Volume 3: Male Reproductive Toxicology, Part A, deals with the male reproductive system and discusses methods that will help identify toxicant-induced changes at all levels in living organisms. It is important to realize that a toxic effect does not occur in a vacuum. All work in toxicology must be predicated on a demonstrated adverse effect in vivo. If good toxicology cannot exist in a vacuum, then there must be a structure. Thus, the book begins by presenting a few models as examples of the ways experiments could be grouped to define the toxicity of a chemical. This is followed by separate chapters on methods such as male mouse sexual behavior test; in vitro techniques for assessing pituitary secretory function; histological methods for preservation of the rat testis; procedures for assessing testicular sperm head counts in mice, rats, and dogs; and guidelines for conducting rodent dominant lethal tests. Subsequent chapters cover topics such as methods for the isolation and purification of Leydig cells from rat and mouse testes, and techniques used in semen analysis and fertility assessment in the rabbit.