睾丸間細胞過形成の電子顕微鏡的観察

Abstract

Testicular biopsies were performed in male infertile patients. Among 145 cases studied, 2 patients with interstitial cell hyperplasia were recently found, in which electron microscopic observations were made in regard to the interstitial cell. Smooth surfaced endoplasmic reticula, especially those of vesicular forms were abundantly seen in cytoplasm, while rough surfaced endoplasmic reticula were seldom seen. Endoplasmic reticula generally lay at random, and they were occasionally arranged in concentric form around lipid droplets. Mitochondria were numerous, generally round or ovoid in cross section. The mitochondrial matrix was more electron dense than crytoplasmic matrix and frequently contained mitochondrial granules as in other tissues. In addition to these granules, larger one or a few spherical bodies which seemed to be lipid were commonly seen within the matrix. As it has been interestingly suggested by some investigators that mitochondrion might transform to lipid droplet, a picture like intermediate form between mitochondion and lipid droplet was able to be observed. Namely, this picture supposed to indicate a possible transformation of mitochondrion to lipid droplet. Crista mitochondriales usually formed simple plications on the internal membrane at right angle, but sometimesa few of them made loops or lamella shapes. Lipid droplets which possibly participate in androgen metabolism were not abundant in the interstitial cell, then some cell contained a few large lipid droplets although another cell did not contain them at all. Lipochrome pigment, lysosome and microbody were observed as other cytoplasmic inclusions. Moreover, membranous whorl seen in normal interstitial cell was observed in cytoplasm and the external membrane of this structure seemed to be connected with the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum. Peculiar fibrillar material consisting of 3 to 6 microfilaments was abundantly seen, but its distribution varied from cell to cell. Although Reinke's crystalloid existed commonly in normal human interstitial cell it was not seen in above two cases. This significance was unexplained.