Observations on the Testis in Anencephaly with Special Reference to the Leydig Cells

Development of the gonad in normal and anencephalic human fetuses

“…Other authors have noted the similarity in the appearance of seminiferous tubules in the testes of anencephalic and normal human fetuses (Ch'in, 1938;Zondek & Zondek, 1965). To the best of our knowledge, however, none of the previous reports on testicular histology of anencephalic fetuses has detected a relationship between the amount of interstitial cell tissue and the number of gonocytes within the seminiferous tubules, although a similar relationship may be found in the testis after fetal hypophysectomy (Gulyas, Tullner & Hodgen, 1977b).…”

“…This observation is based on only 9 anencephalic fetuses and should be confirmed for a larger series of specimens and for other 'model' systems such as organ culture. Nevertheless, the reduction in the number of gonocytes is likely to be marked because the overall size of the testis (and thus of the number of cross-sections of seminiferous tubules) is greatly reduced in anencephalic fetuses (Ch'in, 1938;Zondek & Zondek, 1965;Nakano, 1973).…”

“…The anterior lobe of the pituitary is generally reduced in size (Browne, 1920;Ch'in, 1938;Nakano, 1973 (Salazar, MacAulay, Charles & Pardo, 1969 Michie, 1966;Nakano, 1973). Indeed, the human fetal testis in anencephaly contains few androgen-producing Leydig cells (Zondek & Zondek, 1965), and the low oestriol production by the feto-placental unit has been used as an aid in the diagnosis of anencephaly (Frandsen & Stakemann, 1961;Michie, 1966).…”

Immunocytological Determination of Gonadotropic and Thyrotropic Cells in Fetal Rat Anterior Pituitary during Normal Development and under Experimental Conditions

“…In human anencephalic fetuses, thyrotropic cells showed a normal dis tribution [14] and the thyroid gland was relatively normal in size [26,42], However, gonadotropic cells were rather scarce in the anterior pituitary of the same fetuses [14] and low pi tuitary levels of gonadotrophins were detected in one anenReceived: July 15, 1980 Accepted after revision: November 24, 1980 cephalic fetus [21] without any stimulation by injection of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) [30]. In addition, these fetuses showed hypoplastic gonads [47]. On the basis of these observations the question arises whether the hypothalamus is involved preferentially in the differen tiation of gonatropic cells.…”

Thoughts on puberty. The gonads

“…In the fetal testis the formation of seminiferous cords and the multiplication of supporting and germ cells can occur without gonadotropins ; the seminiferous cords appear sub-normal in lamb fetus decapitated at 50 days of gestation (Courot, 1971) and in anencephalic human fetus (Ch'in, 1938 ;Zondek and Zondek, 1965) (Courot et al, 1970 ;Courot, 1971 ;Ortavant et al, 1977). Thibault and Levasseur, 1979).…”