Andreis P G, Cavallini L, Malendowicz L K, Belloni A S, Rebuffat P, Mazzocchi G, Nussdorfer G G
Department of Anatomy, University of Padua, Italy.
J Submicrosc Cytol Pathol. 1989 Oct;21(4):703-11.
The morphological and functional responses of rat Leydig cells to a 3- and 6-day treatment with human chorionic gonadotropins (hCG) (10 IU/kg/day) were investigated by morphometric and radioimmunological techniques. hCG-administration induced a notable time-dependent enhancement in the steroidogenic capacity and growth of Leydig cells; this last was almost exclusively due to hypertrophy (and not to hyperplasia). The volume of mitochondrial and peroxisome compartments, as well as the surface area per cell of mitochondrial cristae and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) were significantly increased after hCG treatment, and showed a highly significant positive linear correlation with both basal and stimulated testosterone production by isolated Leydig cells of the contralateral testis. Also the volume of nuclei and lipid-droplet compartment and the surface area per cell of Golgi apparatus displayed a notable hCG-induced rise, but they did not correlate with testosterone secretion. These findings suggest that, in addition to mitochondria and SER, in which the enzymes of steroid synthesis are located, peroxisomes are also specifically involved in the secretory activity of rat Leydig cells.
通过形态计量学和放射免疫技术，研究了大鼠睾丸间质细胞对人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）（10国际单位/千克/天）进行3天和6天治疗后的形态和功能反应。给予hCG可使睾丸间质细胞的类固醇生成能力和生长显著增强，且呈时间依赖性；后者几乎完全是由于细胞肥大（而非增生）所致。hCG治疗后，线粒体和过氧化物酶体区室的体积以及每个细胞的线粒体嵴和滑面内质网（SER）的表面积显著增加，并且与对侧睾丸分离的睾丸间质细胞基础和刺激状态下的睾酮分泌均呈高度显著的正线性相关。细胞核和脂滴区室的体积以及每个细胞的高尔基体表面积也呈现出hCG诱导的显著增加，但它们与睾酮分泌无关。这些发现表明，除了类固醇合成酶所在的线粒体和SER外，过氧化物酶体也特别参与大鼠睾丸间质细胞的分泌活动。
