Rich K A, Kerr J B, de Kretser D M
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 1979 Feb;13(2):123-35. doi: 10.1016/0303-7207(79)90013-3.
To study the effects of seminiferous tubule damage on Leydig cell function and morphology, rats were treated by fetal irradiation (to induce Sertoli cell-only syndrome, SCO), 3 months administration of hydroxyurea (HU), or chronic feeding of a vitamin A-deficient diet (VAD). Leydig cell function was assessed by the measurement of serum LH and testosterone and the response of serum testosterone to hCG stimulation, while morphology was studied by electron microscopy after perfusion fixation. Serum LH was significantly elevated in each experimental group, while basal serum testosterone was significantly lower only in SCO rats. In all treatment groups, the serum testosterone response to hCG was significantly decreased when measureed as the area under the response curve. Despite a decreased response to hCG, the Leydig cells were larger than normal and showed striking increases in quantities of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and Golgi complex. Leydig cell dysfunction has been demonstrated in animals with varying degrees of seminiferous tubule damage, but paradoxically the cytological features of the Leydig cells were indicative of hypertrophy.
为研究生精小管损伤对睾丸间质细胞功能和形态的影响，对大鼠进行如下处理：胎儿期照射（诱导唯支持细胞综合征，SCO）、连续3个月给予羟基脲（HU）或长期喂食维生素A缺乏饮食（VAD）。通过测定血清促黄体生成素（LH）和睾酮以及血清睾酮对人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）刺激的反应来评估睾丸间质细胞功能，通过灌注固定后的电子显微镜观察来研究其形态。各实验组血清LH均显著升高，而基础血清睾酮仅在SCO大鼠中显著降低。在所有治疗组中，以反应曲线下面积衡量时，血清睾酮对hCG的反应显著降低。尽管对hCG的反应降低，但睾丸间质细胞比正常细胞大，且滑面内质网、线粒体和高尔基体数量显著增加。在患有不同程度生精小管损伤的动物中已证实存在睾丸间质细胞功能障碍，但矛盾的是，睾丸间质细胞的细胞学特征表明其肥大。
