Normal testicular structure and reproductive function in deermice lacking retinol and alcohol dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract

It was found that a strain of deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus), which genetically lacks liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity also displays no such activity in the testis and is devoid of the enzyme activity that converts retinol to retinal, both in liver and in the testis; nevertheless, these animals exhibit normal reproduction and testicular histology. Therefore, one must reconsider the theory that the testicular atrophy and aspermatogenesis commonly found in alcoholics is due, at least in part, to interaction of ethanol with these enzyme activities in the testis.