The seminiferous tubules merge and connect with the tubuli recti that form the spaces known as the rete testis. Cystic ectasia of the rete testis is a rare benign testicular lesion. We report the cystic ectasia of the rete testis in a 66-year-old man.
Aged ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Humans ; Rete Testis ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Testis

For the study of the effects of aging on testis, the volumes of testis and Leydig cells, young and old aged rats were sacrificed. Twenty eight testes from the young aged rats were used as the normal control. Ten testes showing the atrophic changes and sixteen not-atrophied testes of the old rats were used. After measurements of the volume and weight of the testes they were fixed in Bouin's solution and their sections were stained by Masson's trichrome. The Leydig cells appearing at the graticuels attached to eye-piece of the light microscope were calculated under one hundred magnification. The findings were summarized as follow: 1. The atrophied testes showed degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and had the slightly increased amount of the interstitium in comparison with the control. 2. The weight and volume of the normal control testes were 1.24gm and 1.19ml, respectively, and the proportion and the volume of Leydig cells of it were 3.78% and 0.045ml, respectively. 3. The atrophied testis of the old aged rats showed decreased weight and volume, 0.41gm and 0.57ml, but the proportion of Leydig cells was 9.15%, and the volume of the Leydig cells 0.052ml. 4. The weight and volume of the not-atrophied testis of the old aged rats were 1.73gm and 1.71ml, respectively. The proportion and volume of Leydig cells, however, were 3.04% and 0.052ml.
Aging* ; Animals ; Leydig Cells ; Male ; Rats ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Testis

The effects of both hyperthermia alone and X-ray irradiation combined with hyperthermia on rat testis have been investigated. The histological changes were observed on 15 and 30 days after treatment. There was no histological change of rat testis by hyperthermia alone. The earliest change by x-ray irradiation was the degeneration of the spermatogonia of the seminiferous tubule, which was appeared in 2 gy group. Necrosis of the spermatogonia was severe in 6 gy group and complete atrophy was developed in 8 gy group. With increased dose of radiation, the degrees of changes of tubules was increased. In combined group of X-ray irradiation and hyperthermia, the histological change of the seminiferous tubule was more severe than X-ray alone group. Necrosis and atrophy of the spermatogonia were appeared in 2 gy and complete atrophy of spermatogonia was seen in 6 gy group. Thermal enhancement ratio (calculated at the complete atrophy of the spermatogonia) was 1.3 in this experiment. There was no difference in observation time inverval between 15 and 30 days after each treatment in all groups.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Fever* ; Necrosis ; Rats* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatogonia ; Testis*

Additional two cases of Klinefelter's syndrome with a literatural review was presented Two cases were revealed characteristics of Klinefelter's syndrome such as small testes, hyalinization of seminiferous tubules, azoospermia, increased FSH, normal 17-ketogteroid and positive sex chromatin. One case was associated with left inguinal crytorchidism.
Azoospermia ; Hyalin ; Klinefelter Syndrome* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Sex Chromatin ; Testis

Number of germ cells in the seminiferous epithelium was analyzed quantitatively in testicular biopsy specimens of 23 patients without ductal obstruction and of 4 patients with ductal obstruction. Roth number of mature spermatids within each cross-section of seminiferous tubule and number of atrophic tubule were counted in biopsy specimens. Results were expressed as cell number of mature spermatids per seminiferous tubule and percentage of atrophic tubules. A significant correlation was demonstrated between sperm density and mature spermatid counts. Patients with sperm counts of less than 40 x l0(6)/ml had mature spermatids counts of less than 25 per seminiferous tubule. Coefficients of correlation between mature spermatid count and percentage of atrophic tubules were higher than those of correlation between sperm counts and percentage of atrophic tubules. In asoospermrc patients with epididymal obstruction, sperm count after corrective surgery could be predicted correctly by this quantitative analysis technique of testicular biopsy specimens and partial obstruction of anastomotic site of seminal tract could be proved in oligozoospermic patients after corrective surgery.
Biopsy ; Cell Count ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Seminiferous Epithelium* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Sperm Count ; Spermatids ; Spermatozoa ; Testis*

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are germline stem cells located along the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules in testes. Recently, SSCs were shown to be reprogrammed into multipotent SSCs (mSSCs). However, both the key factors and biological networks underlying this reprogramming remain elusive. Here, we present transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) that control cellular processes related to the SSC-to-mSSC reprogramming. Previously, we established intermediate SSCs (iSSCs) undergoing the transition to mSSCs and generated gene expression profiles of SSCs, iSSCs and mSSCs. By comparing these profiles, we identified 2643 genes that were up-regulated during the reprogramming process and 15 key transcription factors (TFs) that regulate these genes. Using the TF-target relationships, we developed TRNs describing how these TFs regulate three pluripotency-related processes (cell proliferation, stem cell maintenance and epigenetic regulation) during the reprogramming. The TRNs showed that 4 of the 15 TFs (Oct4/Pou5f1, Cux1, Zfp143 and E2f4) regulated cell proliferation during the early stages of reprogramming, whereas 11 TFs (Oct4/Pou5f1, Foxm1, Cux1, Zfp143, Trp53, E2f4, Esrrb, Nfyb, Nanog, Sox2 and Klf4) regulated the three pluripotency-related processes during the late stages of reprogramming. Our TRNs provide a model for the temporally coordinated transcriptional regulation of pluripotency-related processes during the SSC-to-mSSC reprogramming, which can be further tested in detailed functional studies.
Basement Membrane ; Cell Proliferation ; Epigenomics ; Multipotent Stem Cells* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Stem Cells* ; Testis ; Transcription Factors ; Transcriptome

A study was made on the two cases of Klinefelter's Syndrome with review of literature. Two cases revealed findings of characteristics of Kiinefelter's Syndrome such as small testes, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, azoospermia, increased urinary gonadotropin, decreased urinary 17 Ketosteroid, positive Sex Chromatin, gynecomstia and impotence.
Atrophy ; Azoospermia ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Gonadotropins ; Klinefelter Syndrome* ; Male ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Sex Chromatin ; Testis

During the last 10 years 8 months clinical observation has been done on 43 cases of cryptorchisms. 1. The cryptorchism has relatively high incidence rate among the anomalies of genitourinary tract (27. 2%). 2. The age group, most frequently seen, was between 6 to 10 and the average age visited the hospital at the first time is 11.4 years. It means 4 t 6 years later than age for the adequate treatment required. 3. Atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, interstitial fibrosis and poor or absent spermatogenesis were noted on the 8 cases of cryptorchid biopsies. 4. Hormonal therapy (Puberogen) was done on 16 cases and 8 cases were responded. But there was no complete descent of testis through this hormonal therapy.
Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Cryptorchidism ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis

The testicular development and spermatogenesis of mammalians involve complex processes of cell migration, proliferation and differentiation and cell-cell interaction. In spite of extensive researches, many relevant aspects remain unclear. One of the impediments in the studies of testicular development and spermatogenesis of mammalians is the lack of a suitable model. In the last few years, two valuable models were developed for the study of mammalian spermatogenesis: testis tissue from immature animals transplanted ectopically into immunodeficient mice that could survive and produce functional spermatids, and isolated testis cells able to organize and rearrange into seminiferous cords that subsequently undergo complete spermatogenesis. This article presents an update and the applications and prospects of these two methods.
Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Seminiferous Tubules ; transplantation ; Spermatogenesis

OBJECTIVE: ICSI with testicular sperm could achieve optimal fertilization and pregnancy. This study was performed to observe the influence on fertilization and pregnancy of motility of fresh testicular sperm and sperm extracted from frozen-thawed seminiferous tubules in obstructive azoospermia. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS: We analysed clinical outcome of ICSI using fresh testicular sperm and sperm extracted from thawed seminiferous tubules. The presence of motility were compared to determine the factor for optimal fertilization and pregnancy rates. RESULTS: In 316 cases of TESE-ICSI in obstructive azoospermia, ICSI with fresh testicular sperm (fresh sperm group) were 163 cases and ICSI with sperm testicular sperm extracted from frozen-thawed seminiferous tubule (thawed sperm group) were 153 cases. The fertilization rates were 71.3% and pregnancy rates were 32.5% in fresh sperm group, in thawed sperm group, 65.1% and 33.3% respectively. The fertilization and pregnancy rates of motile and non-motile testicular sperm were 72.9% and 33.6%, 50.0% and 18.2%, respectively (p<0.05). The fertilization and pregnancy rates of motile and non-motile sperm extracted from the thawed seminiferous tubule were 67.8% and 34.7%, 55.1% and 28.1%, respectively (p<0.05). The comparative of the results of ICSI using motile fresh testicular sperm and motile sperm extracted from thawed seminiferous tubule, fertilization and pregnancy rates were not significantly different (72.9% and 33.6%, 67.8% and 34.7%, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that successful pregnancy in TESE-ICSI treatment is influenced by the motility of fresh testicular sperm and sperm extracted from thawed seminiferous tubule in obstructive azoospermic patients.
Azoospermia ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa*