Smithwick E B, Young L G
Department of Physiology & Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Tissue Cell. 2001 Jun;33(3):262-72. doi: 10.1054/tice.2000.0164.
Until primate sperm are exposed to the unique microenvironment of the epididymis, they are not capable of fertilization or vigorous motility. Many of the proteins that contribute to the unique microenvironment of the primate epididymis, and thus to sperm maturation, are dependent on androgens to induce their synthesis and secretion. GnRH antagonists have proved effective in suppressing LH and testosterone synthesis and secretion, and thus in maintaining a state of androgen deprivation or functional hypogonadotropism. We report here the effects of GnRH antagonist-induced androgen-deprivation on the histology of the testicular interstitium and seminiferous epithelium of the adult male chimpanzee. After only 21 days of androgen-deprivation, chimpanzee testicular tissues exhibit specific atrophic changes, including the loss of contact between developing spermatocytes and between Sertoli cells and their developing spermatids, alterations in cell development resulting in missing maturation steps (elongating Sc and structurally complete Sd2 spermatids) and inappropriate cell associations, varying degrees of cytoplasmic degradation in germ cells, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells, and a tubular lumen obscured by masses of sloughed primary and secondary spermatocytes and what appear histologically to be Sb1 and Sd1 spermatids.
在灵长类动物精子暴露于附睾独特的微环境之前，它们不具备受精能力或活跃的运动能力。许多对灵长类动物附睾独特微环境有贡献、进而对精子成熟有贡献的蛋白质，都依赖雄激素来诱导其合成和分泌。促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）拮抗剂已被证明在抑制促黄体生成素（LH）和睾酮的合成与分泌方面有效，从而能维持雄激素剥夺或功能性性腺功能减退状态。我们在此报告GnRH拮抗剂诱导的雄激素剥夺对成年雄性黑猩猩睾丸间质和生精上皮组织学的影响。仅经过21天的雄激素剥夺后，黑猩猩睾丸组织就出现了特定的萎缩性变化，包括发育中的精母细胞之间以及支持细胞与其发育中的精子细胞之间失去接触，细胞发育改变导致成熟步骤缺失（伸长的支持细胞和结构完整的Sd2精子细胞）以及不适当的细胞关联，生殖细胞、支持细胞和间质细胞出现不同程度的细胞质降解，以及管腔被大量脱落的初级和次级精母细胞以及组织学上看似Sb1和Sd1精子细胞的物质所遮盖。
