TY - JOUR
T1 - EFFECTS OF A FEMINIZING TESTICULAR LEYDIG CELL TUMOUR ON NONTUMOROUS TESTICULAR TISSUE
T2 - AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY
AU - SOHVAL, ARTHUR R.
AU - CHURG, JACOB
AU - SUZUKI, YASUNOSUKE
AU - KATZ, NORMAN
AU - GABRILOVE, J. LESTER
PY - 1977/2
Y1 - 1977/2
N2 - The ultrastructural effects of a Leydig cell tumour of the testis on nontumorous testicular tissue have not yet been reported. Described here are the electron microscopic findings in the nonneoplastic testicular tissue of a patient with a feminizing testicular Leydig cell neoplasm. Serial studies were carried out over a period of 3 1/2 years prior to removal of the tumour. The overall general picture was characterized by progressive degeneration of Leydig cells, cells of the germinal series and Sertoli cells. Concomitantly, there was increasing thickening and fibrosis of the tubular walls. Cytoplasmic focal accumulations of glycogen, increasing with the duration of the disease, were conspicuous in many spermatogonia. All of these alterations are nonspecific and are attributable to adverse endocrine effects introduced by the oestrogen‐secreting tumour. They were present bilaterally and were more prominent on the tumour‐bearing side. Attention is drawn to the role of artifacts, fixation technique and degenerative processes in the production and appearance of certain ultrastructural findings, such as ‘light’ and ‘dark’ cells, myelin figures, membranous whorls and focal glycogen accumulations.
AB - The ultrastructural effects of a Leydig cell tumour of the testis on nontumorous testicular tissue have not yet been reported. Described here are the electron microscopic findings in the nonneoplastic testicular tissue of a patient with a feminizing testicular Leydig cell neoplasm. Serial studies were carried out over a period of 3 1/2 years prior to removal of the tumour. The overall general picture was characterized by progressive degeneration of Leydig cells, cells of the germinal series and Sertoli cells. Concomitantly, there was increasing thickening and fibrosis of the tubular walls. Cytoplasmic focal accumulations of glycogen, increasing with the duration of the disease, were conspicuous in many spermatogonia. All of these alterations are nonspecific and are attributable to adverse endocrine effects introduced by the oestrogen‐secreting tumour. They were present bilaterally and were more prominent on the tumour‐bearing side. Attention is drawn to the role of artifacts, fixation technique and degenerative processes in the production and appearance of certain ultrastructural findings, such as ‘light’ and ‘dark’ cells, myelin figures, membranous whorls and focal glycogen accumulations.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0017337131
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1977.tb02003.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1977.tb02003.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 844220
AN - SCOPUS:0017337131
SN - 0300-0664
VL - 6
SP - 127
EP - 137
JO - Clinical Endocrinology
JF - Clinical Endocrinology
IS - 2
ER -