Objective    To explore the reversibility of the disturbance effect on spermatogenesis by burying testes in inguinal pocket.     Methods    Forty-two male New Zealand white rabbits were divided randomly into three groups: normal control group (

n

=12)

bilateral testes bu

ried group (

n

=12)

unilateral testis buried group (

n

=18). A subcutaneous tunnel was cut from the inner of scrotum to thigh and the testis was buried in inguinal pocket. The rabbits in normal control group were not operated on. Six rabbits from each group were randomly selected for the biopsy of buried testes at 9

th

week after animal modeling. HE staining for the changes of contorted seminiferous tubules and TUNEL for the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells were performed. The remained animals in the normal control group and the bilateral testes buried group were mated respectively with one female rabbit to observe their fertility. Meanwhile

the buried testis of each remained rabbit in the unilateral testis buried group was put back into the normal scrotum and the contralateral testis was buried. Then the testes that had been put back to scrotum were biopsied at the end of another 4 and 9 weeks.     Results    The titer of spermatogenic cells was less in the bilateral testes buried group’s seminiferous tubule than that in the normal control group at 9

th

week after animal modeling. In addition

the spermatogenic cells showed derangement

and the spermatozoa were not seen. TUNEL results displayed the obvious apoptosis of spermatogenous cells

and the apoptotic index (AI) of the bilateral testes buried group was higher than that of the normal control group (

P

<

0.05). All the female rabbits paired with the rabbits in the bilateral testes buried group were not pregnant

and their fertility rate was lower than that of the normal control group (

P

<

0.05). HE and TUNEL results of the unilateral testis buried group were similar to those of the bilateral testes buried group at the 9

th

week

as well as no significant difference of AI between the two groups. However

the titer of spermatogenic cells increased at the 9

th

week after the buried testis was put back into the normal scrotum

and AI got lower.     Conclusion    The testes buried in in

guinal pocket lead to the disturbance of spermiogenesis similar to that occurred in the scrotum reconstruction with skin flap. Fortunately

this damage is reversible.