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Fine structure of the testicular gland of the black goby, Gobius jozo L.

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Summary

The homologue of mammalian Leydig cells in the testis of fish of the genus Gobius is believed to be a glandular mass lying along the mesorchium and quite distinct from the seminiferous region. This gland was studied in Gobius jozo by light and electron microscopy. Histologically, the gland is composed of cords of polyhedral cells located between the main vessels of the testis and the deferent duct. Dark and light cell varieties were observed both after staining with toluidine blue and with respect to their cytoplasmic electron density. The fine structure of the glandular cells is characterized by a well developed agranular endoplasmic reticulum in the form of random anastomosing tubules and vesicles and by very numerous mitochondria with tubulo-vesicular cristae. In some mitochondria the internal organization is paracrystalline. One or two bodies of unknown nature are Found in the Golgi region. They are partially limited by an unusually thick membrane and contain a material subdivided mostly into small vesicles. Liposomes and lipofuscin pigment granules are also present.

The ultrastructural features of the glandular cells of the testis of Gobius jozo confirm a specialization in steroid hormone production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Biology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Lorenzo Colombo & Paolo Burighel

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  1. Lorenzo Colombo
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  2. Paolo Burighel
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Additional information

Work aided by grant 72.01033.04 115.4918 from the National Research Council (C.N.R.) of Italy through the sponsorship of the Institute of Marine Biology of Venice and carried out with the facilities of C.N.R. contract 70.01798.04.115.576. We are grateful to Prof. Bruno Battaglia for encouraging this research, to Prof. Giuseppina Mazzocchi for reading the manuscript and to Dr. Elisabetta Leban for technical help.

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Colombo, L., Burighel, P. Fine structure of the testicular gland of the black goby, Gobius jozo L.. Cell Tissue Res. 154, 39–49 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221070

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221070

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