Lamano-Carvalho T L, Favaretto A L, Silva A A, Antunes-Rodrigues J
Gegenbaurs Morphol Jahrb. 1987;133(2):297-309.
A morphometric study was undertaken to determine to what extent the increase in LEYDIG cell activity is related to an increase in their number and/or size. An attempt was also made to consider the morphological characteristics of the cells in terms of their probable functional capacity. Following 8 h to 3 d of excess hCG treatment, LEYDIG cells nuclear volume exhibited an increase of 16 to 18% while no significant increase in cells number was observed. By 7 d of hCG treatment, the nuclear hypertrophy (42%) coexisted with hyperplasia (33%). After 14 d of stimulation, a 41% augment in cells number and 31% increase in nuclear volumes were found. Such morphometric parameters were correlated with plasma levels of testosterone. The results suggest that hypertrophy plays a more important role in the enhancement of LEYDIG cells secretory activity in the initial phase of hCG stimulation. A subsequent hyperplasia seems to become relatively more important in longer periods of treatment. Our findings support the statement that both hCG dose and time of treatment, and consequently the plasma level of testosterone, are important parameters to be considered when the functional activity of LEYDIG cells is been evaluated by morphometric techniques.
进行了一项形态计量学研究，以确定睾丸间质细胞活性的增加在多大程度上与其数量和/或大小的增加有关。还尝试根据细胞可能的功能能力来考虑其形态特征。在过量人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）处理8小时至3天后，睾丸间质细胞核体积增加了16%至18%，而细胞数量未观察到显著增加。到hCG处理7天时，核肥大（42%）与增生（33%）并存。刺激14天后，细胞数量增加了41%，核体积增加了31%。这些形态计量学参数与血浆睾酮水平相关。结果表明，在hCG刺激的初始阶段，肥大在增强睾丸间质细胞分泌活性方面起更重要的作用。在较长的治疗期内，随后的增生似乎变得相对更重要。我们的研究结果支持以下观点：当通过形态计量学技术评估睾丸间质细胞的功能活性时，hCG剂量、治疗时间以及因此的血浆睾酮水平都是需要考虑的重要参数。
