Extracellular tubules in semen.
Tubules were observed in the semen of two patients, one of whom was fertile. The tubules measured 75 to 90 nm in diameter and were extracellular. However, they frequently were found in amorphous material reminiscent of cell debris and in association with cells, most of which were immature. They did not show the typical trilaminar structure of biologic membranes. Their biochemical nature and significance are unknown.
Wolburg
H
H
Institute of Pathology, University of Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Schieferstein
G
G
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*