ULTRASTRUCTURE OF EPITHELIAL CELLS IN THE HUMAN EPIDIDYMIS
- VernacularTitle:人类附睾上皮细胞的超微结构
- Author:
Jianzhang LEI
;
Guohua YING
;
Lansun HEI
;
Shurong LI
;
Yuzhen ZHAO
;
Yuying ZHANG
;
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Acta Anatomica Sinica
1953;0(01):-
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The epithelial cells of normal human epididymis were studied by ultrathin section and freeze-etching replica techniques. It was found that the pseudostratified epithelium is composed mainly of dark-columnar, clear-columnar, ciliated, basal and few narrow-columnar cells. The ultrastructure of the epithelia from the head region to the tail of the epdidymis reveals no distinctive segmental demarcation, but transits gradually. The ciliated cells distributed chiefly in the initial segment of epididymis, fibril-like elements were found frequently in the supranuclear region of its cytoplasm, yet their function remains unknown. The dark-columnar cells as well as the clearcolumnar and the cillated cells of the head region of the epididymis exhibit the cytological ultrastructural characteristic features of absorption as is often the case with endocytotic vesicles and lysosomes, etc. These morphologycal findings confirm the view that these cells, particularly the dark-columnar cell, appear to be responsible to the absorption of testicular secretion in the epididymis. The clear-columnar and the dark-columnar cells, especially the former, in the distal portion of the epididymis possesses the secretory cytological characterestics. It is suggested that these cells were concerned with the production of the epididymis semen.In the discussion, the authors pointed out that the scientific basis for the detailed functions of the epididymis remains to be investigated further.
