Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Men With Nonobstructive Azoospermia Have Leydig Cell Hypertrophy But Not Hyperplasia

2002; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 168; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0022-5347(05)64576-4

1527-3792

JENNIFER A. TASH, Stewart W. McCallum, Matthew P. Hardy, Beatrice S. Knudsen, Peter N. Schlegel,

Sexual Differentiation and Disorders

No AccessJournal of UrologyCLINICAL UROLOGY: ORIGINAL ARTICLES1 Sep 2002Men With Nonobstructive Azoospermia Have Leydig Cell Hypertrophy But Not Hyperplasia Jennifer A. Tash, Stewart Mccallum, Matthew P. Hardy, Beatrice Knudsen, and Peter N. Schlegel Jennifer A. TashJennifer A. Tash , Stewart MccallumStewart Mccallum , Matthew P. HardyMatthew P. Hardy , Beatrice KnudsenBeatrice Knudsen , and Peter N. SchlegelPeter N. Schlegel View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(05)64576-4AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract Purpose: We determined whether testicular histology in men with spermatogenic failure due to nonobstructive azoospermia shows true Leydig cell hyperplasia. Materials and Methods: Testicular biopsy specimens from 17 patients evaluated for infertility were retrospectively analyzed. Interstitial, tubular and Leydig cell volume were quantitatively evaluated. The total volume and number of Leydig cells per testicle were then calculated. Results: In 10 patients with obstructive azoospermia testicular histology showed normal spermatogenic function, while 7 had nonobstructive azoospermia. Average testicular volume plus or minus standard deviation was significantly larger in those with obstructive versus nonobstructive azoospermia (18.0 ± 7.0 versus 9.3 ± 8.7 cc, p = 0.025). Interstitial versus tubular volume was 32% of the total testis in the obstructive and 63% in the nonobstructive groups (p = 0.003). Although Leydig cell volume was proportionally greater in men with nonobstructive versus obstructive azoospermia (13.3% versus 0.05%, p = 0.045), there was no significant difference in the average number of Leydig cells per testicle (3.96 × 109 and 6.17 × 109, respectively, p = 0.16). The average volume of individual Leydig cells was significantly greater in men with the nonobstructive condition (253.0 ± 98.7 versus 174.0 ± 57.7 μm.3, p = 0.045). Conclusions: These results suggest that men with nonobstructive azoospermia and those with normal spermatogenesis have an equivalent number of Leydig cells. However, the Leydig cells are hypertrophic and occupy a larger proportion of total testis volume in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. Therefore, patients with spermatogenic failure show Leydig cell hypertrophy but not hyperplasia. References 1 : How to do a workup for male infertility. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, May1991; : 28. Google Scholar 2 : Testicular sperm extraction with intracytoplasmic sperm injection for nonobstructive azoospermia: testicular histology can predict success of sperm retrieval. J Urol1999; 161: 112. Link, Google Scholar 3 : Correlation between testicular histology outcome after intracytoplasmic sperm injection using testicular spermatozoa. Human Reprod1996; 11: 127. Google Scholar 4 : Leydig cell hyperplasia. Br J Urol1998; 81: 282. Google Scholar 5 : Leydig cell in idiopathic varicocele. Eur Urol1990; 17: 257. Google Scholar 6 : Genetic disorders. In: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. Edited by . Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co., chapt. 41989. Google Scholar 7 : Leydig cell hyperplasia in cryptorchid patients: quantitative evaluation of Leydig cells in undescended contralateral scrotal testes. Urol Res1984; 12: 159. Google Scholar 8 : Quantitation of Leydig cells in testicular biopsies of oligospermic men with varicocele. Fertil Steril1978; 30: 305. Google Scholar 9 : Leydig cell volume in chromatin-positive Klinefelter's syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab1971; 33: 517. Google Scholar 10 : Testicular sperm extraction: microdissection improves sperm yield with minimal tissue excision. Hum Reprod1999; 14: 131. Google Scholar 11 : Histologic effects of testicular sperm extraction on the testicle in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. Urology2001; 57: 334. Google Scholar 12 : Reversal of long-term LH deprivation on testosterone secretion Leydig cell volume, number proliferation in adult rats. J Endocrinol1990; 127: 47. Google Scholar 13 : Changes in the testis interstitium of Sprague Dawley rats from birth to sexual maturity. Biol Reprod2000; 62: 680. Google Scholar 14 : Estimation of the volume of Leydig cells in man. Lancet1969; 2: 461. Google Scholar 15 : Endocrine, paracrine, autocrine regulation of testicular steroidogenesis. Adv Exp Med Biol1995; 377: 33. Google Scholar 16 : Intercellular communication between Sertoli cells Leydig cells in the absence of follicle-stimulating hormone-receptor signaling. Biol Reprod2001; 65: 1201. Google Scholar 17 : Postpubertal cryptorchidism. Morphofunctional study with special reference to Leydig's cells. Eur Urol1989; 16: 433. Google Scholar 18 : Organ sparing surgery for malignant germ cell tumor of the testis. J Urol2001; 166: 2161. Link, Google Scholar 19 : Is there a local feedback from the seminiferous tubules affecting activity of the Leydig cells?. Biol Reprod1978; 19: 144. Google Scholar 20 : Evidence of a treatable endocrinopathy in infertile men. J Urol2001; 165: 837. Link, Google Scholar From the James Buchanan Brady Urology Foundation, Departments of Urology and Pathology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research, New York, New York© 2002 by American Urological Association, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byAtala A (2018) Re: Decreased Androgen Receptor Expression May Contribute to Spermatogenesis Failure in Rats Exposed to Low Concentration of Bisphenol AJournal of Urology, VOL. 191, NO. 2, (554-555), Online publication date: 1-Feb-2014.Eifler J, King P and Schlegel P (2018) Incidental Testicular Lesions Found During Infertility Evaluation are Usually Benign and May be Managed ConservativelyJournal of Urology, VOL. 180, NO. 1, (261-265), Online publication date: 1-Jul-2008.CARMIGNANI L, MORABITO A, GADDA F, BOZZINI G, ROCCO F and COLPI G (2018) PROGNOSTIC PARAMETERS IN ADULT IMPALPABLE ULTRASONOGRAPHIC LESIONS OF THE TESTICLEJournal of Urology, VOL. 174, NO. 3, (1035-1038), Online publication date: 1-Sep-2005.CARMIGNANI L, GADDA F, MANCINI M, GAZZANO G, NERVA F, ROCCO F and COLPI G (2018) DETECTION OF TESTICULAR ULTRASONOGRAPHIC LESIONS IN SEVERE MALE INFERTILITYJournal of Urology, VOL. 172, NO. 3, (1045-1047), Online publication date: 1-Sep-2004. Volume 168Issue 3September 2002Page: 1068-1070 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2002 by American Urological Association, Inc.Keywordsinfertility, malehypertrophyLeydig cellstestisspermatogenesisMetricsAuthor Information Jennifer A. Tash More articles by this author Stewart Mccallum More articles by this author Matthew P. Hardy More articles by this author Beatrice Knudsen More articles by this author Peter N. Schlegel More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...