Fractal methods applied to the seminiferous lumen images can quantify testicular changes induced by heat stress

• Published in: Acta histochemica 2022-10, Vol.124 (7), p.151949-151949, Article 151949
• Main Authors: Melo, Isabel Oliveira, Angelo Mendes Tenorio, Fernanda das Chagas, da Silva Gomes, José Anderson, da Silva Junior, Valdemiro Amaro, de Albuquerque Nogueira, Romildo, Tenorio, Bruno Mendes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fractal; Heat stress; Infertility; Lacunarity; Multifractality; Seminiferous lumen
• ISSN: 0065-1281; 1618-0372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151949

Male infertility affects many couples around the world and can be related to environmental factors such as exposure to high temperatures. Even so, automated methods evaluating the seminiferous tubules to detect testicular damage are still scarce. In search of new approaches to automation in the microscopic analysis of the testis; the present study used the fractal dimension, lacunarity, multifractality and quantitative morphometry to quantify changes in microphotographs of the seminiferous lumen in testicles reversibly damaged by heat stress (43 °C, 12 min). The parameters fractal dimension, lacunarity, multifractality (Dq and α), perimeter, feret and circularity were able to detect changes in the seminiferous lumen at 7, 15 and 30 days after the testicular damage. These methods also detected the recovery of spermatogenesis at 60 days after heat stress. Area, f(α), centroid X and Y, roundness, rectangle height and width were unable to detect changes caused by heat stress. In conclusion, computer assisted methods applied to the seminiferous lumen images can be a useful new viewpoint to analyze microscopic changes in the testicles, a fast low-cost tool to assist in the automated quantification of testicular damage. •Male infertility affects many couples around the world.•Automated methods evaluating the seminiferous tubules lumen damage are still scarce.•Fractal dimension, lacunarity and multifractality detected changes in the lumen.•Perimeter, feret and circularity also detected changes in the seminiferous lumen.•Computerized methods detected changes in the lumen after the testicular damage.