Abstract
Shortly after the demonstration of the androgenic function of the testis by Berthold, Leydig reported in 1850 the presence of testicular interstitial cells in some species (1). These cells now bear his name. In the 1930s, progress in the study of pituitary hormones substantially established the Leydig cells to be the main source of testosterone in the male. Since the 1960s, the use of electron microscopy has revealed the morphological details of this cell type. The relation of the ultrastructure to pertinent biochemical and physiological information has opened a new dimension of studies of the male reproductive system.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Leydig F: Zur Anatomie der männlichen Geschlechtsorgane und Analdrüsen der Säugethiere. Z Wiss Zool 2: 1–57, 1850.
Leeson CR: Observations on the fine structure of rat interstitial tissue. Acta Anat 52: 34–18, 1963.
Christensen AK, Fawcett DW: The fine structure of testicular interstitial cells in mice. Am J Anat 118: 551–572, 1966.
Christensen AK, Fawcett DW: The normal fine structure of opossum testicular interstitial cells. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9: 653–670, 1961.
Burgos MH, Vitale-Calpe R, Aoki A: Fine structure of the testis and its functional significance. In: The testis. Johnson AD, Gomes WR, Vandemark NL (eds), New York, Vandemark NL (eds), 1970, vol 1, pp 551–649.
Belt WD, Cavazos LF: Fine structure of the interstitial cells of Leydig in the boar. Anat Ree 158: 333–349, 1967.
Hooker CW: The intertubular tissue of the testis. In: The testis Johnson AD, Gomes WR, Vandemark NL (eds), New York, Academic Press, 1970, vol. 1, pp 483–550.
Christensen AK: Leydig cells. In: Handbook of Physiology. Hamilton DW, Greep RO (eds), Am Physiol Soc, Washington DC, 1975, sec 7, vol V pp 57–94.
Hall PF: Endocrinology in the testis. In: The testis. Johnson AD, Gomes WR, Vandemark NL (eds), New York, Vandemark NL (eds), 1970, vol 2, pp 1–71.
Reinke Fr: Beiträge zur Histologie des Menschen. I. Ueber Krystalloidbildungen in den interstitiellen Zellen des menschlichen Hodens. Arch Mikrosk Anat Entwicklungsgesch 47: 34 — 44, 1896.
Fawcett DW, Neaves WB, Flores MN: Comparative observations on intertubular lymphatics and the organization of the interstitial tissue of the mammalian testis. Biol Reprod 9: 500–532, 1973.
Idelman S: Ultrastructure of the mammalian adrenal cortex. Int Rev Cytol 27: 181–281, 1970.
Crisp TM, Dessouky DA, Denys FR: The fine structure of the human corpus luteum of early pregnancy and during the progestational phase of the menstrual cycle. Am J Anat 127: 37–70, 1970.
Mori H: The fine structure of interstitial gland cells in rabbit ovaries. Med J Osaka Univ 20: 215–233, 1970.
Murakami M, Kitahara Y: Cylindrical bodies derived from endoplasmic reticulum in Leydig’s cell of the rat testis. J Electron Microsc 20: 318–323, 1971.
Frank AL, Christensen AK: Localization of acid phosphatase in lipofuscin granules and possible autophagic vacuoles in interstitial cells of the guinea pig testis. J Cell Biol 36: 1–13, 1968.
Nagano T, Ohtsuki I: Reinvestigation of the fine structure of Reinke’s crystal in the human testicular interstitial cell. J Cell Biol 51: 148–161, 1971.
Mori H, Fukunishi R, Fujii M, Hataji K, Shiraishi T, Matsumoto K: Stereological analysis of Reinke’s crystals in human Leydig cells. Virchows Arch A 380: 1–9, 1978.
Christensen AK, Peacock KC: Increase in Leydig cell number in testes of adult rats treated chronically with an excess of human chorionic gonadotropin. Biol Reprod 22: 383–391, 1980.
Weibel ER, Bolender RP: Stereological techniques for electron micros copic morphometry. In: Principles and techniques of electron microscopy. Hayat MA (ed), New York, Hayat MA (ed), 1973, vol 3, pp 237–296.
Dykes JRW: Histometric assessment of human testicular biopsies. J Path 97: 429–440, 1969.
Ahmad KN, Lennox B, Mack WS: Estimation of the volume of Leydig cells in man. Lancet 2: 46M64, 1969.
Ewing LL, Zirkin BR, Cochran RC, Kromann N, Peters C, Ruis-Bravo N: Testosterone secretion by rat, rabbit, guinea pig, dog, and hamster testes perfused in vitro: Correlation with Leydig cell mass. Endocrinology 105: 1135–1142, 1979.
Holstein AF, Wartenberg H, Vossmeyer J: Zur Cytologie der pränatalen Gonadenentwicklung beim Menschen. III. Die Entwicklung der Leydigzellen im Hoden von Embryonen und Feten. Z Anat Entwickl-Gesch 135: 43–66, 1971.
Neaves WB: Changes in testicular Leydig cells and in plasma testosterone levels among seasonally breeding rock hyrax. Biol Reprod 8: 451–466, 1973.
Bergh A, Damber J-E: Morphometric and functional investigation on the Leydig cells in experimental unilateral cryptorchism in the rat. Int J Androl 1: 549–562, 1978.
Kerr JB, Rich KA, de Kretser DM: Alterations of the fine structure and androgen secretion of the interstitial cells in the experimentally cryptorchid rat testis. Biol Reprod 20: 409–422, 1979.
Zirkin BR, Ewing LL, Kromann N, Cochran RC: Testosterone secretion by rat, rabbit, guinea pig, dog, and hamster testes perfused in vitro: Correlation with Leydig cell ultrastructure. Endocrinology 107: 1867–1874, 1980.
Mori H, Christensen AK: Morphometric analysis of Leydig cells in the normal rat testis. J Cell Biol 84: 340–354, 1980.
Mori H, Shimizu D, Takeda A, Takioka Y, Fukunishi R: Stereological analysis of Leydig cells in normal guinea pig testis. J Electron Microsc 29: 8–21, 1980.
Mori H, Kadota A, Fukunishi R, Kukita H, Takeuchi N, Matsumoto K: Effects of a cholesterol-rich-diet and a hypolipidemic drug (Clofibrate, CP1B) on Leydig cells in rats. Stereological and biochemical analysis. Andrologia 12: 281–291, 1980.
Mori H, Hiromoto N, Nakahara M, Shiraishi T: Stereological analysis of Leydig cell ultrastructure in aged humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 55: 634–641, 1982.
Kaler LW, Neaves WB: Attrition of the human Leydig cell population with advancing age. Anat Ree 192: 513–518, 1978.
Free MJ, Tillson SA: Secretion rate of testicular steroids in the conscious and halothane-anesthetized rat. Endocrinology 93: 874–879, 1973.
Rohr HP, Bartsch G, Eichenberger P, Rasser Y, Kaiser Ch, Keller M: Ultrastructural morphometric analysis of the unstimulated adrenal cortex of rats. J Ultrastruct Res 54: 11–21, 1976.
Black VH, Russo JJ: Stereological analysis of the guinea pig adrenal: Effects of dexamethasone and ACTH treatment with emphasis on the inner cortex. Am J Anat 159: 85–120, 1980.
Morris MD, Chaikoff IL: The origin of cholesterol in liver, small intestine, adrenal gland, and testis of the rat: Dietary versus endogenous contributions. J Biol Chem 234: 1095–1097, 1959.
Werbin H, Chaikoff IL: Utilization of adrenal gland cholesterol for synthesis of Cortisol by the intact normal and the ACTH-treated guinea pig. Arch Biochem Biophys 93: 476–482, 1961.
Sternberg WH: The morphology, androgenic function, hyperplasia, and tumors of the human ovarian hilus cells. Am J Pathol 25: 493–521, 1949.
Scully RE, Cohen RB: Ganglioneuroma of adrenal medulla containing cells morphologically identical to hilus cells (extraparenchymal Leydig cells). Cancer 14: 42M25, 1961.
Magalhaes MC: A new crystal-containing cell in human adrenal cortex. J Cell Biol 55: 126–133, 1972.
Peters KH: Die Ultrastruktur heterotoper Leydigzellen beim Menschen. Andrologia 9: 337–348, 1977.
Mori H, Shiraishi T, Matsumoto K: Ectopic Leydig cells in seminiferous tubules of an infertile human male with a chromosomal aberration. Andrologia 10: 434–443, 1978.
Schulze C, Holstein A-F: Leydig cells within the lamina propria of seminiferous tubules in four patients with azoospermia. Andrologia 10: 444–452, 1978.
Mori H, Matsumoto K: Constant occurrence of adrenocortical tissue in the juvenile rabbit ovary. Amer J Anat 141: 73–90, 1974.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Boston, The Hague, Dordrecht, Lancaster
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mori, H. (1984). Ultrastructure and stereological analysis of Leydig cells. In: Motta, P.M. (eds) Ultrastructure of Endocrine Cells and Tissues. Electron Microscopy in Biology and Medicine, vol 1. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3861-1_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3861-1_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-3863-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-3861-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive