Schulze C, Schütte B
Anatomisches Institut der Universität Hamburg, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
Cell Tissue Res. 1990 Apr;260(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/BF00297484.
We provide evidence that testicular concretions form exclusively in association with seminiferous cords. Testicular material obtained from 6 patients with various disorders of spermatogenesis was studied by means of light- and electron microscopy. Seminiferous cords in the testes examined form so-called hypoplastic zones. They contain immature Sertoli cells and are surrounded by an unusually thick basal lamina and one or two layers of myofibroblasts. They display extensive coiling and form ring-like structures. Concretions are located at the periphery or in the center of the cords and consist of a hyaline material with an occasional granular core. They are enveloped by Sertoli cells or myofibroblasts. Data presented indicate that concretions may develop within the above-mentioned ring-like structures or in deep indentations of the surrounding connective tissue. Computer-assisted 3-D reconstructions of a seminiferous cord based on 24 serial semithin sections revealed that the majority of concretions communicate with the interstitial tissue through a broad opening comparable to a "meso". On the basis of our observations we could demonstrate that concretions are accumulations of basal lamina that occasionally contain remnants of degenerated myofibroblasts. They form outside the cords and belong to the connective tissue compartment. As the components of the basal lamina are thought to be produced by the interaction of Sertoli cells and myofibroblasts we tentatively assume that the development of concretions reflects a disturbance in this complex interaction. We suggest that the presence of concretions refers to a developmental disorder and may be pathognomonic for the occurrence of defective seminiferous cords.
我们提供的证据表明，睾丸结石仅与生精索相关形成。通过光学显微镜和电子显微镜对6例患有各种精子发生障碍患者的睾丸组织进行了研究。所检查睾丸中的生精索形成了所谓的发育不全区域。它们含有未成熟的支持细胞，并被异常增厚的基膜以及一层或两层肌成纤维细胞所包围。它们呈现广泛的盘绕并形成环状结构。结石位于索的周边或中央，由一种透明物质组成，偶尔有颗粒状核心。它们被支持细胞或肌成纤维细胞所包裹。所呈现的数据表明，结石可能在上述环状结构内或周围结缔组织的深凹陷处形成。基于24个连续半薄切片对生精索进行的计算机辅助三维重建显示，大多数结石通过一个类似于“系膜”的宽阔开口与间质组织相通。根据我们的观察，我们能够证明结石是基膜的积聚物，偶尔含有退化肌成纤维细胞的残余物。它们在索外形成，属于结缔组织成分。由于基膜的成分被认为是由支持细胞和肌成纤维细胞相互作用产生的，我们初步推测结石的形成反映了这种复杂相互作用中的紊乱。我们认为结石的存在表明存在发育障碍，可能是生精索缺陷发生的特征性表现。
