Numerous environmental and industrial chemicals can alter male reproductive function. Our ability to detect subtle alterations in human reproductive function has lagged far behind our ability to detect these lesions in experimental animals, which can be sacrificed for analysis. This project examines the effects of a single dose of a widely used plasticizer, di-pentyl-phthalate, on organ weights, testicular and epididymal histology, fertility, and circulating levels of reproductive hormones and a specific testicular secretion, androgen binding protein (ABP). The objective is to correlate changes in fertility and the more readily measurable endpoints (sperm count and plasma hormone levels) with those of plasma ABP to determine if circulating ABP values will be a more sensitive index of altered reproductive function. By measurng all these endpoints concurrently, we can determine if ABP will be more, or less, sensitive than existing methods in rats.
