Amat P, Paniagua R, Montero J
J Androl. 1985 Jan-Feb;6(1):1-9. doi: 10.1002/j.1939-4640.1985.tb00810.x.
Two types of degenerating seminiferous tubules were found in cryptorchid testes with Sertoli cell hyperplasia of children and adults: 1) tubules with central degeneration, and 2) tubules with total degeneration. Central degeneration begins with degenerative changes in germ cells that accumulate in the lumen of the seminiferous tubule. Some Sertoli cells may also be affected. Degenerated cells finally disappear, and the remaining tubule is composed of only a cuboidal epithelium, which consists mainly of Sertoli cells and occasional germ cells surrounding a wide lumen. Total degeneration is principally seen in tubules with severe germinal hypoplasia. All the seminiferous epithelium cells degenerate and lose their characteristic distribution, forming a disorganized Sertoli cell nodule surrounded by a thickened basement membrane. Lastly, Sertoli cells disintegrate, and the seminiferous epithelium disappears. Tubular degeneration might be related to the thickening of the basement membrane, which hinders metabolic interchange between the seminiferous epithelium and the interstitium.
1）中央退化的小管，以及2）完全退化的小管。中央退化始于生精小管管腔内积累的生殖细胞的退行性变化。一些支持细胞也可能受到影响。退化的细胞最终消失，剩余的小管仅由立方上皮组成，主要由支持细胞和围绕宽管腔的偶尔的生殖细胞组成。完全退化主要见于生精细胞严重发育不全的小管。所有生精上皮细胞退化并失去其特征性分布，形成由增厚的基底膜包围的无序支持细胞结节。最后，支持细胞解体，生精上皮消失。小管退化可能与基底膜增厚有关，基底膜增厚阻碍了生精上皮与间质之间的代谢交换。
