Organization and morphogenesis of the human seminiferous epithelium

Schulze, Wolfgang; Rehder, U.

doi:10.1007/bf00228424

Cited by 111 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In addition to the rat, in which the wave has been most vividly illustrated (Perey et al, 19611, the wave has been reported to occur in the mouse, bull, guinea pig, rabbit, ram, boar, dog, cat (Benda, 1887;Curtis, 19181, marsupials (Furst, 18871, and humans (Schulze, 1982;Schulze and Rehder, 1984). The current paper extends these studies by revealing the spermatogenic wave in the horse.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Staging equine seminiferous tubules by Nomarski optics in unstained histologic sections and in tubules mounted in toto to reveal the spermatogenic wave

1990

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Nomarski optics were used to identify stages of the spermatogenic cycle of seminiferous tubules in sectioned tissue or in whole dispersed tubules and to characterize the equine spermatogenic wave. Embedded tissues were sectioned at 20 microns. Whole dispersed tubules were obtained by enzymatic digestion of thin slices of fresh testis. Dispersed tubules were fixed, dehydrated in graded levels of alcohol, infiltrated with Epon, and mounted in toto on glass slides. Stages of the spermatogenic cycle could be identified under Nomarski optics in both histologic sections and tubules mounted in toto. Stage dependent nuclear chromatic and cytoplasmic changes in spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids were evident. Spermatid development included chromatin condensation, nuclear elongation, acrosomal development from the Golgi and proacrosomic granules, migration of the annulus and mitochondrial alignment, and the transient appearance of the chromatoid body and manchette. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic details of Sertoli cells were revealed. In tubules mounted in toto, the spermatogenic wave along the length of the tubules occurred as a consecutive set of stages occupying small regions along the tubular length. The spermatogenic wave in the horse is more similar to that of humans than that of rats. The combination of enzymatic isolation of seminiferous tubules and identification of spermatogenic stages by Nomarski optics facilitates examination of the spermatogenic wave in species whose tubules are tightly bound and not easily teased apart.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

Staging equine seminiferous tubules by Nomarski optics in unstained histologic sections and in tubules mounted in toto to reveal the spermatogenic wave

1990

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“…Six biopsy specimens of patients with oligozoospermia constituted the control group, for they met all the following criteria of normality [15]: (1) diameter of the seminiferous tubules ranging between 180 pm and 250 pm; (2) average thickness of the lamina propria less than 10 pm; (3) presence of germ cells; (4) regular development of spermatids; (5) typical morphology of the Sertoli cells; and (6) appearance of residual bodies and spermiation. Control patients were 22-30 years old (mean 27 years).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testis Morphometry in Varicocele

Pesce

Reale

1985

Archives of Andrology

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This study was conducted to evaluate morphometrically the microscopic components of the testis in cases of varicocele, the leading cause of male infertility, with the aim to identify consistent differences from controls. In our specimens of patients with varicocele, the vascular and interstitial fractions, as well as the Leydig cell count, were significantly increased. Our data support the notion that the interstitium is the testicular compartment most consistently affected and that the damage to the tubules is erratic and probably late.

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“…Morphological distinction between the various types of human spermatocytes is achieved via recognition of their position within the seminiferous epithelium, the arrangements of chromatin within the nucleus, and the size of the cells (de Kretser and Kerr, 1988;Dym, 1977;Holstein and Roosen-Runge, 1981; Schulze and Rehder, 1984;Solari and Tres, 1967;Wettstein and Sotelo, 1967). The preleptotene primary spermatocytes arise from the B-type spermatogonia, lose contact with the basement membrane, and engage in active DNA synthesis.…”

Section: The Seminiferous Tubulementioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructure of the seminiferous epithelium and intertubular tissue of the human testis

Kerr

1991

J. Elec. Microsc. Tech.

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The ultrastructural features of the human testis are reviewed with emphasis upon the process of spermatogenesis and the cytology of the Leydig cells. The seminiferous epithelium is structurally partitioned by the Sertoli cells into basal and adluminal compartments via the specialized tight junctions between the Sertoli cells. Spermatogonia reside in the basal compartment, and, via a series of cell divisions, produce the primary spermatocytes, which at the commencement of their development move into the adluminal compartment, and thus the lengthy process of meiotic maturation is initiated. The fine structure of primary spermatocytes is described together with the complex transformation of the spermatids into spermatozoa during the process of spermiogenesis. Earlier studies of the organization of the human seminiferous epithelium showed that germ cells at different developmental stages formed identifiable collections termed cell associations or stages, but since several stages were seen in a single tubule cross-section, this gave the impression of an extremely irregular pattern of spermatogenic development. When the topographic arrangement of germ cells was re-examined with the aid of computer modelling, a highly ordered distribution was revealed, conforming to a helical pattern based on the geometry of spirals. Thus spermatogenesis in the human testis is subjected to a precise regulation in keeping with the ordered arrangement of the germ cells seen in other mammalian species. The intertubular tissue of the human testis is composed of loose connective tissue containing blood vessels, occasional lymph capillaries, macrophages, mast cells, and the Leydig cells which occur either as single cells or form small clusters. The Leydig cell cytoplasm contains an abundant supply of smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria with tubular cristae, both features being characteristic of steroidogenic cells. Human Leydig cells contain large Reinke crystalloids of variable size and number, but their function remains obscure. The frequent occurrence of paracrystalline inclusions within the cytoplasm of the human Leydig cell suggests that these elements are precursors of the Reinke crystalloids.

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Organization and morphogenesis of the human seminiferous epithelium

Cited by 111 publications

References 29 publications

Staging equine seminiferous tubules by Nomarski optics in unstained histologic sections and in tubules mounted in toto to reveal the spermatogenic wave

Staging equine seminiferous tubules by Nomarski optics in unstained histologic sections and in tubules mounted in toto to reveal the spermatogenic wave

Testis Morphometry in Varicocele

Ultrastructure of the seminiferous epithelium and intertubular tissue of the human testis

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