The testicuiar tissues are affected adversely by zinc deficiency. These changes are correlated with the de­gree of deficiency. In comparison with the control (C) group, moderate zinc deficiency (MZnD) leads to regressive changes in the adluminal germ cells but not in spermatogonia located in the basal compartments while severe zinc deficiency (SZnD) can affect both the adluminal and basal compartme­nts. Although there was numerical dif­ferences between the mean tubular diameter of MZnD (184um±7) and SZnD(168um ±8.6) in comparison with the C group (213 ±3.8), it was statistically insignificant.. Also, the spermatic index though showed nu­merical differences between MZnD (16.7 ±3.3 sperms/tubule), SZnD (1±1.5 sperms/tubule) and C group < /p>
(33.7±3.9 sperms/tubule) . it was sta­tistically significant only in SZnD (P<0.05). The setroli cell index for C, MZnD and SZnD groups was 13.8+2.9, 16.7±3.3 and 20.7+5.9 re­spectively, but it was statistically in­significant for all(P>0.05). The thick­ness of the tunica albuginea was the same for C, MZnD and SZnD groups while for basement membrane thick­ness, there was mild thickening in SZnD group. The sclerotic tubules(9 +1.3%) and multinucteated giant cells (1.4±1.1 cells/tubule) were found only in SZnD group.