Ultrastructural, morphometric, and hormonal analysis of the effects of testosterone treatment on Leydig cells and other interstitial cells in young adult rats.
Early effects of testosterone (T) treatment on the ultrastructure of testicular interstitium were analyzed by morphometry. In T-treated young adult rats the T-LH feed-back loop functioned as expected and the marked increase in peripheral T caused almost complete depletion of peripheral LH. Even though the peripheral LH concentration was almost undetectably low, the Leydig cells maintained regulatory interactions with macrophages, peritubular myoid cells and with the seminiferous epithelium lining the tubular lumina as indicated by the high correlations of morphometric parameters between the Leydig and other cell types. The morphometric alterations in the ultrastructure of Leydig cells suggest that the seminiferous tubules may signal by releasing inhibitory paracrine factors affecting the morphology and function of Leydig cells in T-treated young adult rats. The morphometry of Leydig cells in T-treated young adult rats showed a significant quantifiable reduction in nuclei and organelles involved in steroid synthesis and this analysis also offers a good basis for elucidation of the early effects of testosterone in terms of its contraceptive function as well as of different toxic compounds on reproductive functions.
Ichihara
I
I
Department of Anatomy, Aichi Medical University, Yazako, Nagakute-cho, Aichi-ken, 480-1195 Japan. Ichihara@mihama.n-fukushi.ac.jp
Kawamura
H
H
Nakano
T
T
Pelliniemi
L J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone