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On the morphology of the human sertoli cell

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Summary

As revealed by light microscopical investigations the human Sertoli cell presents different appearances according to the pattern of infranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions. Although two or three stages of spermatogenesis are seen in a single cross section of a seminiferous tubule the Sertoli cells all show virtually the same features in such a cross sectioned tubule.

The different appearances are also evident under the electron microscope. Although no obvious correlation was found with the stages of spermatogenesis in the seminiferous epithelium, the Sertoli cell appearances described here may be assumed to represent different metabolic situations.

Other features of Sertoli cell ultrastructure are discussed such as the presence of residual bodies in the apical cytoplasm, glycogen-rich areas protruding towards the tubular lumen or the extracellular space, and membrane bound, round structures, found between the membranes of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and resembling the “microbodies” of steroid producing cells.

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  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    Cornelia Schulze

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Schulze, C. On the morphology of the human sertoli cell. Cell Tissue Res. 153, 339–355 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00229163

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