title: Inhibin bodies: a new marker for immature Sertoli cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a marker for immature and dysgenetic Sertoli cells which allows easy identification in patients in which Sertoli cell maturation does not take place properly, such as those consulting for cryptorchidism, testicular tumours and infertility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We performed immunohistochemistry against inhibin-α subunit and the endoplasmic reticulum marker Grp78 in normal human testes from fetal life to adulthood, and in several testicular lesions where Sertoli cell maturation is abnormal. We describe a pattern of inhibin immunostain (inhibin bodies of 2-9 μm in diameter at the Sertoli cells cytoplasm apical pole) in immature and dysgenetic Sertoli cells that facilitates their identification. Inhibin bodies were found in tubules with either no germ cells or only spermatogonia or carcinoma in situ (CIS) and seminoma cells, but not in tubules containing more advanced germ cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data provide a new marker of immature and dysgenetic Sertoli cells. In addition, our data suggest that inhibin bodies represent a slower transit of inhibin through the endoplasmic reticulum, as inhibin bodies were associated with Grp78.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, La Paz Hospital Research Institute, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nistal
authors.forename: Laura G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Pastrián
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: González-Peramato
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: De Miguel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007265:Inhibins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018239:Seminoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C000717247:HSPA5 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007265:Inhibins