STUDIES ON ARTIFICIAL CRYPTORCHIDISM: MORPHOLOGICAL AND QUANTITATIVE CHANGES IN THE SERTOLI CELLS OF THE RAT TESTIS

Abstract

SUMMARY 1. The response of the Sertoli cell to cryptorchidism has been studied in bilaterally cryptorchid rats. 2. The Sertoli cell nuclei increase significantly in number between the 10th and 21st postoperative day. This increase is accompanied by a significant decrease in nuclear size; it is considered that these changes may be the result of amitotic division. 3. The Sertoli cells appear to be phagocytic and are able to ingest directly introduced particulate matter (Indian ink), and possibly degenerated spermatogonia and spermatocytes. 4. The part played by this property of the Sertoli cells in the pathogenesis of the testicular changes in cryptorchidism is considered.