Effects of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether on various parameters of testicular function in the F344 rat. Environ. Health Perspect. 57

Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) has been found to produce testicular atrophy in experimental ro-dents. The studies that follow were designed to deter-mine the testicular cell type(s) most susceptible to EGME administration. For histologic studies, F344 rats were gavaged with 150 mg/kg/day of EGME 5 days per week, and serially sacrificed. In sections from perfu-sion-fixed tissue, necrotic changes were observed in some meiotic and premeiotic spermatocytes 24 hours after a single dose. Also, nuclear condensation was seen in occasional early pachytene spermatocytes. These effects were magnified after two doses; there were more necrotic pachytene and meiotic spermato-cytes than necrotic stage I pachytene spermatocytes. By day 4, testes from all treated animals were affected