Abstract
Metallothionein (MT) in the human male excretory ducts of the testis, such as the tubuli seminiferi recti, rete testis, ductuli efferentes, ductus epididymidis, and ductus deferens was examined immunohistochemically in 15 patients (one, testicular injury; one, testicular torsion; six, testicular tumor; seven, prostate cancer). The immunoreaction for MT was identified in Sertoli cells of the tubuli recti, and in the epithelial cells of rete testis, ductuli efferentes, ductus epididymidis at the tail portion, and ductus deferens near the epididymal tail. The immunoreaction in the tail was found mainly in the principal cells, and the secretory products near the surface of epithelial cells, and in the lumen. The MT immunoreaction in the epididymal head and body was observed to occur in the basal cells only. This result suggested that the epithelial cells have a different physiological function among the various portions of the excretory ducts of human testis.
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