Zusammenfassung
Die Ultrastruktur des unreifen menschlichen Hodens wurde an Biopsiematerial von 3 Patienten mit hypogonadotrophem Hypogonadismus untersucht. Die unreifen Sertoli-Zellen wiesen eigenartige Nukleolen auf und unterschieden sich von Sertolizellen beim Erwachsenen in Menge und Verteilung des Lipids und des granulären wie agranulären endoplasmatischen Reticulums. Die zellulären Verbindungen zwischen benachbarten unreifen Sertolizellen sind abnorm geformt, und ihre Verteilung differiert gegenüber der bei Erwachsenen. Diese Unterschiede werden in ihren Beziehungen zur Geschlechtsreife diskutiert.
Das Keimgewebe bestand aus Gonocyten und Spermatogonien. Diese Zellen waren durch blaß gefärbtes Cytoplasma, Mitochondrienansammlungen und Lubarschsche Kristalle gekennzeichnet. Zwischen nahe beieinander liegenden Mitochondrien ließ sich ein ungewöhnliches intermitochondriales Material nachweisen.
In der Lamina propria einiger Samenkanälchen fanden sich verdickte Kollagenablagerungen, die mit den Strukturveränderungen der unreifen Sertolizellen in Verbindung standen. Die Einflußnahme dieser Veränderungen auf den Stoffwechsel der Samenkanälchen wird diskutiert.
Summary
The ultrastructural appearance of the immature human testis was studied in biopsies from 3 patients with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The immature Sertoli cells exhibit an unusual gradation in nucleolar structure and differ from the adult Sertoli cell in the amount and distribution of lipid, agranular and granular endoplasmic reticulum. The cell junctions present between adjacent immature Sertoli cells have an unusual form and their distribution contrasts with that in the adult state. These differences are discussed in relationship to pubertal maturation.
The germinal tissue consists of gonocytes and spermatogonia which were both characterized by palely staining cytoplasm, mitochondrial aggregations and the crystals of Lubarsch. An unusual intermitochondrial material was present between adjacent mitochondria in these cells.
In the lamina propria of some seminiferous cords, thickened collagen accumulations were present and were associated with structural changes in the immature Sertoli cells. The association of these changes is discussed in relation to metabolism of the seminiferous cords.
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The author gratefully acknowledges the helpful guidance of ProfessorG. C. Schofield during the preparation of this manuscript. The material used in this study was obtained through the kindness of Dr.H. P. Taft and Dr.Henry Burger. Thanks are also due to Mr.R. Mezciems, MissS. Flett, MissW. Kemp and Mr.J. Simmons F.R.P.S. for their help in preparing the manuscript. This study was supported by a grant from the National and Medical Research Council of Australia.
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de Kretser, D.M. The fine structure of the immature human testis in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Virchows Arch. Abt. B Zellpath. 1, 283–296 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893724
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893724