STUDIES ON ARTIFICIAL CRYPTORCHIDISM: THE HISTOLOGICAL APPEARANCES OF UNILATERAL AND BILATERAL ABDOMINAL TESTES IN THE RAT

Abstract

SUMMARY: Comparison of the findings in this investigation with those in naturally occurring cryptorchidism indicates that whereas under the latter circumstances degenerative changes only occur at puberty, in the experimental condition they may be seen at all ages. It is suggested that this difference is due to inherent defects of the testis in naturally occurring cryptorchidism. Comparison of the abdominal testes of unilaterally and bilaterally cryptorchid rats indicates that the testes are developmentally more mature in the latter and it is suggested that this difference is due to the circulation of greater amounts of gonadotrophins. This assumption is supported to some extent by findings in the adenohypophyses of such animals: castration cells appear to be more frequent in bilateral cryptorchids. The conclusion is drawn that although simple androgen deficiency may explain the various changes which occur in the reproductive system and adenohypophysis of cryptorchid animals, deficiency of a hormone produced by the seminiferous tubules cannot be excluded completely; the findings also indicate that this hormone is more likely to be produced by the germ cells than by the Sertoli cells.