DNP complex of the spermatogenic cells of rats with hypovitaminosis A

Retinol deficiency in rats was shown to cause atypical changes of DNP-complex in spermatogenic cells and a decrease in their fertility. The final stages of spermiogenesis were found to be the most sensitive: ca. 25% of testicular sperms were characterized by abnormal chromatin structure and deficiency in spermiospecific argininerich histones what might be related to a sharp decrease in arginine content in blood plasma. Similar results were obtained with rats kept on retinoic acid. Thus, retinoic acid fails to restore retinol-dependent processes involved in the formation of sperms with normal DNP-complex.