Leydig cell in idiopathic varicocele.

In a group of 31 patients with idiopathic varicocele (IV), testicular biopsy showed a decreased tubular diameter, hyperplasia in the number of Leydig's cells (LC; many with cytoplasmic vacuolization and atrophy) and a decrease in the number of positive LC in testicular tissue sections stained with the testosterone peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Similar values were seen for the testis with IV and for the contralateral testis. All of this, in addition to the lack of significant differences in the volume of cytoplasmic organelles in the LC, leads us to think that both testes are equally involved. Estradiol levels were significantly increased and testosterone, FSH and LH were normal in peripheral blood (compensated LC dysfunction).