1992 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Role of Testicular Interstitial Macrophages
| Project/Area Number |
02670716
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Urology
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| Research Institution | Jichi Medical School |
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Principal Investigator |
TOKUE Akihiko Jichi Medical School, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (80049022)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
OOKAWARA Shigeo Jichi Medical School, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (60049088)
KOBAYASHI Yutaka Jichi Medical School, Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (20178346)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1990 – 1992
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| Keywords | Testicular interstitium / Macrophage / Leydig cell / Fibroblastoid cell / Aging |
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| Research Abstract |
As an attempt to clarify the function of testicular interstitial macrophages, morphological changes in macrophages and Leydig cells in the rat testes of various developmental stages were examined by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.
The number of macrophages identified by immunohistochemistry changed with aging. The percentage of macrophages to total interstitial cells was 11.5*3.4%, 11.8*7.2% and 26.2*6.0% in young, sexually mature and old rats, respectively.
In the testicular interstitium of young rats, clusters of a small number of Leydig cells were surrounded by several layers of fibroblastoid cells. Macrophages existed outside the fibroblastoid cell layers and did not directly contact with Leydig cells. Some macrophages extended their processes into the intercellular space of fibroblastoid cell. With sexual maturation, clusters of numerous Leydig cells were distributed throughout testicular interstitium and lamellar fibroblastoid cells dissociated. Consequently, Leydig cells were exposed to the lymphatic space. At this stage, macrophages closely adijoined to Leydig cells and were sometimes found inside the cluster of them. This indicates a close relationship between these two cells. In old age group, Leydig cells decreased in number, and macrophages containing abundant lipofuscin granules and cell debrieses were frequently observed near degenerated Leydig cells.
These findings suggest that macrophages in testicular intersitium are closely associated with the development and growth of Leydig cells. Furthermore, these macrophages appear to be important for the regulation and maintenance of testicular function.
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