Sertoli cell maturation in men with azoospermia of different etiologies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the involvement of Sertoli cell in different spermatogenic disorders.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital.


METHODS
Azoospermic men who underwent testicular biopsy for sperm recovery in preparation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.


METHODS
Testicular biopsy evaluation by quantitative immunohistochemistry for the immature Sertoli cell markers anti-Müllerian hormone and cytokeratin 18 (CK-18).


METHODS
Relative area of immature Sertoli cells in testes with focal spermatogenesis, spermatocyte maturation arrest, or normal spermatogenesis.


RESULTS
The relative area occupied by immature Sertoli cells, as revealed by anti-Müllerian hormone and CK-18 expression, was highest in the 11 men with focal spermatogenesis. In the group representing normal spermatogenesis (obstructive azoospermia, 6 men) and in the group characterized by spermatocyte maturation arrest (6 men), the areas occupied by anti-Müllerian hormone- and CK-18-positive cells were minimal.


CONCLUSIONS
Different etiologies underlie the spermatogenic disorders reported in this study. In focal spermatogenesis with high anti-Müllerian hormone and CK-18 expression, the spermatogenic impairment is associated with the presence of immature Sertoli cells. The detection of normal mature Sertoli cells in the spermatocyte maturation arrest group indicates that the spermatogenic defect that is accompanied by an impairment of meiosis is intrinsic to the germ line without affecting Sertoli cell differentiation.
Maymon
Batia Bar-Shira
BB
Institute of Pathology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Yogev
Leah
L
Paz
Gedalia
G
Kleiman
Sandra E
SE
Schreiber
Letizia
L
Botchan
Amnon
A
Hauser
Ron
R
Yavetz
Haim
H
D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013735:Testicular Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D006023:Glycoproteins; D013735:Testicular Hormones; D007633:Keratins; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone