ELEKTRONENMIKROSKOPISCHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN BEI ARTIFIZIEL ERZEUGTEM KRYPTORCHISMUS AN DER RATTE NACH BEHANDLUNG MIT PEROXYDASE

Abstract

Unilateral orchidopexy was performed on 20 normal adult rats. Ten rats were sham-operated as controls. After 10 to 80 days they were sacrificed. Two hours before sacrifice 30mg of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) dissolved in 1ml of 0.9% NaCl solution was injected intraperitoneally. After the sacrifice testes were excised and investigated electron microscopically. Permeability of the Tunica propria and the basal membrane of the seminiferous tubule in cryptorchid testis showed no significant difference for HRP compared with that in testis of control rats and in contralateral scrotal testis of experimental rats. The Tunica propria of the seminiferous tubule in cryptorchid testis was thickend by a progressive fibrosis with an increase in both cells and extracellular fibers. The seminiferous tubule consisted of Sertoli cells only. The contralateral scrotal testis revealed morphologically no significant difference from normal testis. HRP was found adhering to the cells of the seminiferous tubule not only in normal and scrotal testis but also in cryptorchid testis. HRP was not observed in intercellular space deeper than the spermatogonia and in the lumen of the seminiferous tubule, while it was found in the intercellular space between the spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. The surface cells of the seminiferous tubule took up HRP actively by micropinocytosis. This activity was more marked in normal and contralateral scrotal testis than in cryptorchid testis. The function of blood-testis barrier remained in cryptorchid testis, but the active transport through the micropinocytosis was extremely reduced.