title: Apoptosis and proliferation in human undescended testes.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: The Urological Institute of Northeastern New York, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
authors.forename: Kenechukwu G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Ofordeme
authors.forename: Ahmet R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Talat M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Nazir
authors.forename: Alida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayner-Buchan
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kogan
mesh_terms: 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