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Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 55, 634-641, Copyright © 1982 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Stereological analysis of Leydig cell ultrastructure in aged humans

H Mori, N Hiromoto, M Nakahara and T Shiraishi

Stereological analysis of Leydig cell ultrastructure in aged humans was performed by a point-count method on testicular tissues fixed by perfusion with buffered glutaraldehyde. In six aged human males (74 yr old on the average), interstitial tissue occupied 38.9% of decapsulated testis volume, and Leydig cells constituted 3.1% to total tests volume. One cubic centimeter of the testis contained about 7.7 x 10(6) Leydig cells, each of which had a volume of 4,080 micrometer3 on average. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum of Leydig cells occupied 13.4% of cell volume and had a surface area of 2,474 cm2/cm3 testis tissue or 32,000 micrometer2/cell, which was 70.7% of the total membrane area of the cell. Occupying 5.8% of the cell volume, mitochondria had an inner membrane surface area of 434 cm2/cm3 tissue or 5,600 micrometer2/cell, which was 12.4% of the total membrane area of the cell. Relating these stereological values to published data on testosterone (T) secretion rate, an average human Leydig cell would secrete about 20 pg T/day. Each cm2 of smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial inner membranes of human Leydig cells would produce 70 ng and 400 ng T/day, respectively.


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I.-s. Kim, H.B. Siril Ariyaratne, and S.M.L. C. Mendis-Handagama
Changes in the Testis Interstitium of Brown Norway Rats with Aging and Effects of Luteinizing and Thyroid Hormones on the Aged Testes in Enhancing the Steroidogenic Potential
Biol Reprod, May 1, 2002; 66(5): 1359 - 1366.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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