Chronic ethanol intake leads to structural and molecular alterations in the rat endometrium.

We described the effects of low- and high-dose ethanol intake on the structure and apoptosis signaling of the uterine endometrium of UChA and UChB rats (animals with voluntary ethanol consumption). Thirty adult female rats, 90 days old, were divided into three groups (n = 10/group): UChA rats fed with 10% (v/v) ethanol ad libitum (free choice for water or ethanol) drinking < 1.9 g/kg/day; UChB rats fed with 10% (v/v) ethanol ad libitum (free choice for water or ethanol) drinking from 2 to 5 g/kg/day; control rats without ethanol (only water).

Sexual differentiation and reproductive development of female rat offspring after paternal exposure to the anti-tumor pharmaceutical cisplatin.

Cisplatin (CP) is used to treat a number of cancers, including testicular cancer. Studies indicate that CP-treatment can impair spermatogenesis in humans and rodents by germ cell DNA binding, through different modes of action. CP-paternal exposure resulted in adverse effects in F1 male offspring.

Long-term exogenous melatonin treatment modulates overall feed efficiency and protects ovarian tissue against injuries caused by ethanol-induced oxidative stress in adult UChB rats.

Background: Chronic ethanol intake leads to reproductive damage including reactive oxygen species formation, which accelerates the oxidative process. Melatonin is known to regulate the reproductive cycle, food/liquid intake, and it may also act as a potent antioxidant indoleamine. The aim of this study was to verify the effects of alcoholism and melatonin treatment on overall feed efficiency and to analyze its protective role against the oxidative stress in the ovarian tissue of UChB rats (submitted to 10% [v/v] voluntary ethanol consumption).

Structural characteristics of the tendinous cord-papillary muscle junction in healthy and hypertensive rats.

Although the myotendinous junction (MTJ) of skeletal striated muscle is well known, more detailed studies regarding the structure of the cardiac MTJ are scarce. The objective of the present study was to investigate the morphological characteristics of the MTJ in hearts of healthy and hypertensive (SHR) female rats using histological, ultrastructural and three-dimensional (SEM) methods, as well as to evaluate the expression of vinculin by immunofluorescence. In the two groups, light microscopy showed branching tendinous cords and collagen bundles penetrating the apex of the finger-like projections of the papillary muscle.