[A morphological study of the testes in patients with idiopathic male infertility--immunohistochemical analysis of collagens and laminin in human testes].

In the human testis, the distribution of extracellular components, such as types I, III, IV and V collagens and laminin, was investigated immunohistochemically by light microscopy. Specimens were obtained by testicular biopsy from 40 patients with idiopathic male infertility and 14 normal adult males. In the normal testes, the basement membrane was positive for types I, III, IV and V collagens and laminin. However, the distribution patterns of these components were different. Furthermore, a reactivity for types I and III collagens was found in the interstitial connective tissue matrix. Immunoreactivity for types I and III collagens was markedly positive in the limiting membranes around the Leydig cells. In the pathological testes, all the layers of the basement membrane of both thickened and obstructed tubules were positive for types I and III collagens. On the other hand, reaction products of type IV collagen were localized in the inner layer of the basement membrane and the peritubular cell (myoid cell) layer, and those of laminin were only found in the inner layer. Type V collagen-reactivity was observed in the basement membrane of thickened tubules. Positive reactions for types IV and V collagens and laminin were seldom recognized in the obstructed tubules. In the interstitial space, the connective tissues were significantly increased as compared with normal testes, which included extracellular components that reacted for types I and III collagens. Histological findings in normal adult testes and pathological testes were compared. Quantitative analysis of mean thickness of the basement membrane (W), mean seminiferous tubular diameter (T), T/W ratio and Leydig cell index demonstrated significant differences between the two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)