ヒト睾丸セルトリ細胞の電子顕微鏡的研究

Abstract

1) Electron microscopic observation of the Sertoli cells in the human testis was made on 54 clinical cases, including 5 of normal adults, 2 of infants and 47 of infertile patients. 2) On the Sertoli cells of normal adults, the junctional specialization of the cytoplasmic membrane, lipid droplets, endoplasmic reticulum-spherical body complex, annulate lamellae and the limiting membrane of the seminiferous tubule were described. 3) In the Sertoli cells of infants, the junctional specialization of the cytoplasmic membrane, annulate lamellae and endoplasmic reticulum-spherical body complex were not seen, and lipid droplets and endoplasmic reticulum were poorly developed. 4) Light microscopic structures of infertile testes were classified as follows: type (b) germinal cell aplasia (c) hypospermatogenesis (d) germinal cell arrest (a) immature (e) peritubular fibrosis, and (f) tubular hyalinization. An electron microscopic study was made on each type. 5) Three eunuchoidal men showed the immature type, and the differences between the normogonadotropic and the hypogonadotropic eunuchoids were discussed on the cytoplasmic elements of the Sertoli cells. 6) On the germinal cell aplasia, two types of prominently and poorly developed endoplasmic reticulum in the Sertoli cytoplasm were seen. Three of cases that showed the germinal cell aplasia on the light microscopic observation contained the portion of sperm head and tail in Sertoli cells on an electron microscopic observation. Comparing the fine structures of these Sertoli cells, it can be speculated that the germinal cell aplasia having prominent endoplasmic reticulum in the Sertoli cell is congenital in origin and one having poorly developed endoplasmic reticulum is acquired in origin. 7) According to the cytoplasmic structures of Sertoli cell, the Sertoli cells in the hypospermatogenesis could be classified as follows: (a) the Sertoli cell showing nearly normal structures (b) the Sertoli cell with the prominently developed endoplasmic reticulum (c) the Sertoli cell with the poorly developed cytoplasmic organelles, and (d) the Sertoli cell of immature type. 8) The fine structures of the Sertoli cell in germinal cell arrest were variant according to the point of arrested maturation. The Sertoli cell may play an important role as a cause of germinal cell arrest. 9) The Sertoli cells showed different structures in two cases of peritubular fibrosis. Common findings on these cells, however, were thickening and irregular projections of the basement membrane as well as thickening of the collagen fibrous layer by increased collagen fibers. 10) The hyalinization of tubules was seen in 3 cases of Klinefelter's syndrome. The evidence of spermatogenesis in past was obvious in all cases by an electron-microscopic observation. The hyalinization of tubules seen by light microscope was electron-microscopically observed as a thickening and irregular projections of the basement membrane as well as an abnormal thickening of collagen fibrous layer.