Apoptosis and proliferation in human undescended testes.
OBJECTIVE
To study apoptosis and proliferation in the testes of children with undescended testes; the degree to which undescended testes contributes to a patient's ultimate fertility is debatable, but undescended testes have fewer germ cells, and some have proposed that apoptosis is an important cause.


METHODS
Testis biopsies were taken at the time of orchidopexy in a consecutive series of children undergoing surgical repair for undescended testes. Immunohistological techniques were used to detect apoptosis and proliferation, and the numbers of cells undergoing apoptosis or proliferation per 50 seminiferous tubules were recorded.


RESULTS
Inguinal testes had less apoptosis than abdominal testes, with a mean (sd) of 0.71 (1.31) vs 1.63 (1.95) apoptotic cells per 50 seminiferous tubules (P < 0.02). Similarly, there was less apoptosis in children aged > 1 years than in children aged < 1 years (0.68 (1.40) vs 1.35 (1.56); P < 0.03). Proliferation was very limited in all cryptorchid testes. In contrast to cryptorchid testes, five autopsy controls had many more apoptotic cells, (10.60 (1.34) per 50 seminiferous tubules), and many more proliferating cells, (8.40 (6.43) per 50 seminiferous tubules).


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to animal studies, neither apoptosis nor proliferation was common in undescended testes from 6 months of age onward. However, apoptosis was more common in abdominal testes and in children aged < 1 year. It is likely that, if substantial apoptosis occurs in human undescended testes, it occurs before 6 months of age.
Ofordeme
Kenechukwu G
KG
The Urological Institute of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
Aslan
Ahmet R
AR
Nazir
Talat M
TM
Hayner-Buchan
Alida
A
Kogan
Barry A
BA
D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery