A Histological and Chemical Study of the Fatty Matter of Normal and Cryptorchid Testes

Abstract

1. About 19 per cent. of the dry weight of the normal pig testicle is fatty matter. Histologically this fat occurs largely in the cells of the seminal tubules, and especially in the Sertoli cells. 2. During spermatogenesis the fat of the Sertoli cell passes inward for the nutrition of the spermatids and spermatozoa. During this passage its character is altered from a neutral fat to a lipoid. 3. About 30 per cent. of the dry weight of the cryptorchid pig testicle is fatty material. Histologically this fat lies within the seminal tubules, partially filling the Sertoli cells. The spermatogenic cells have completely disappeared. 4. We conclude that the presence of such an excessive amount of fat in the cryptorchid testicle is due to the absence of the spermatogenic cells which normally utilize during their development the fat furnished by the Sertoli cells.

Testicular Lipids

“…The increase in lipid concentration fol¬ lowing surgery is in agreement with the data of Clegg (1960), Hanes & Rosenbloom (1911) and Moore (1924), who reported histological evidence indicating increased lipid concentrations in cryptorchid testes. An increase in lipid con¬ centration has also been reported following oestrogen treatment (Lacy, 1960) or hypophysectomy (Lynch & Scott, 1951).…”

“…Increased total lipid concentration has been detected by histochemical techniques in 80-and 200-day cryptorchid testes of rats (McEnery & Nelson, 1953) and naturally cryptorchid swine testes (Hanes & Rosenbloom, 1911). Kormano, Harkonen & Kontineu (1964) reported that lipids accumulate in the atrophied seminiferous tubules of cryptorchid rat testes.…”

An unusual case of quadruple polyorchidism in a human cadaver mimicking bilateral lipoma

“…The high-degree of adipose infiltration into the SNTs. It is reasonable to suggest that due to the specimen's age that the right SNT atrophied and became fatty since it was not functioning, and both SNTs were infiltrated with fatty tissue resembling lipomas secondary to non-descent and age at time of detection (Hanes and Rosenbloom, 1911;Tasian et al, 2009;Nistal, et al, 2017).…”

Testicular Lipids

“…Several studies have shown that the levels of testicular lipids may be changed following treatments which impair spermatogenesis (Fleeger, Bishop, Gomes & VanDemark, 1968;Hanes & Rosenbloom, 1911 ;Moore, 1924). It has not been determined, however, whether these changes are only quantitative in nature or whether qualitative changes in fatty acid composition of the lipid also occur.…”