停留精巣の研究 第2報: 停留精巣における精細管壁の形態学的観察

Abstract

前報と同一の対象について, HE染色では, 思春期以後の停留精巣で精細管壁の肥厚と不整蛇行が認められ, 肥厚部はAzanで濃染した.肥厚は10歳頃から出現した.Weigert染色で弾力線維が認められるのは停留精巣では思春期以後のことであり, それも貧弱であった.電顕下に, 停留精巣の基底膜は, 思春期前では内・外各1層より成りinfoldingは見られず, 思春期後には外層の多層化が著明であった.線維層では膠原線維の増生が見られたが, それは5歳時より確認できた.細胞層では, 筋様細胞が思春期になって出現したが, 思春期後でも, 細胞辺縁のmicropinocytic vesicleの発達は不良であり, また, 細胞間の膠原線維増殖が著明で, 筋様細胞や線維芽細胞の表面は不整となり, 細胞突起も蛇行した

Morphological changes in the wall of the seminiferous tubules in the cryptorchid testes were studied using light and electron microscopy. Seventy four unilateral and bilateral cryptorchids (aged 2 to 37 years) were selected, and biopsied specimens were stained with H-E, Azan and Weigert for light microscopic observation. Twenty eight of these specimens were also examined by electron microscopy. In the undescended testes, light microscopy showed irregularity and thickening of the wall (tunica propria), and the thickened wall strongly reacted to the Azan stain. This thickening of the tunica propria was observed to begin at puberty, but was not found in the contralateral scrotal testes of the cryptorchids or in the normal testes. The wall of the normal adult testes was well stained by the Weigert stain, suggesting the presence of elastin. In the undescended testes, however, the wall was not stained in prepubertal or pubertal patients, and even after puberty the wall was stained much less than that in the contralateral scrotal testes and the normal controls. On electron microscopic observation, various ultrastructural changes were noticed in each component of the tubular wall; basement membrane, fibrous layer and cellular layer. In the undescended testes, the lamina densa of the basement membrane consisted of one layer with a serrated outer margin throughout the pre-pubertal and pubertal periods, while after puberty the lamina densa underwent marked multiple lamella formation and increased in thickness. In the fibrous layer was already noticed in the undescended testes of 5-year-old cryptorchids. The development of myoid cells in the cellular layer during puberty was observed to be delayed. The morphological changes occurring in the seminiferous tubular wall of the cryptorchid testes were believed to be related to the impaired spermatogenesis often found in cryptorchidism.