HISTOPATHOLOGIC STUDIES ON THE SENILE TESTIS

Abstract

The testis of 41 autopsy cases including 26 subjects over 60 years of age were investigated.The histologic picture of the senile testis is not uniform, but in general the changes were characterized by retarded spermatogenesis of minor grade in the seminiferous tubules, moderate degree of hyaline thickening of the basement membrane with peritubular fibrosis, increased amount of focal sclerotic tubules, decreased Leydig cell population and by constant presence of arteriolar sclerosis. In 17 of 26 subjects over 60 years of age, the interstitial cells of Leydig showed a numerical decrease vith varying intensity of degeneration, while in 5 of them, they present abundantly in, nests or clumps between the tubules. Observations on endocrine glands revealed atrophy of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis with invasion of posterior lobe by basophilic cells and that of thyroid as characteristics associated with aging. In 4 of 21 cases examined adenomas were found, in the adrenals. The presence of adenomas in the adrenal cortex seemed to be closely correlated with an, unusual aggregation of the Leydig cells in the testis. Charges in the senile testis were compared with those secondary to hypophysial damage.It was an indelible impression that in majority of instances Leydig cells were of poor functional state in senility in contrast to relative preservation of spermatogenic activity. Histologic variability in the senile testis is probably ascribed to divergences in the state of hypophysial regulation over the testis duplicated by a variety of noxious factors or factors associated with aging process, possibly such as hypertension.