大鼠睾丸Sertoli细胞外质特化结构生后发育的超微结构观察

ULTRASTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECTOPLASMIC SPECIALIZATION IN RAT SERTOLI CELLS

本研究采用透射电镜法,对生后1～8周和成年期大鼠睾丸Sertoli细胞外质特化结构(ES)的发育过程进行观察。结果表明,生后第1周ES处于初建阶段,质膜下见高电子密度物质聚集,并见有间断排列的内质网短池。第2周时微丝束开始出现,沿质膜下伸展,内质网池逐渐融合。第3周时微丝密度增加;相邻细胞膜间开始出现紧密连接。随生长发育ES亦逐渐完善,至生后第5周时已于Sertoli细胞基底部周缘广泛伸展。此后直至成年,其形态结构和分布未见有显著改变。本研究认为,大鼠在出生后5周内是ES的重要发育期,与血-睾屏障的形成和完善相一致。

To investigate the function of microtubules (MTs) in Sertoli cell, colchicine, a microtubule disrupting agents, was injected into the dorsum of the male SD rat. The seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cell of the rat were examined by light and electron microsopy. 5-6 hours after the colchicine injection the following results were revealed (1) The Sertoli cell of the rat testis showed prominent morphological changes. The processes of the cell retracted, the MTs disappeared in the cytoplasm and the distribution of mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum became irregular. (2) Many widened intercellulor spaces occured in the seminiferous epithelium; and accordingly the arrangement of the germ cells became deranged and the elongated spermatids moved form their original deep position to the surface of the epithelium. (3) There was no evident changes in the basal region of the seminiferous epithilium. These results confirmed that MTs in Sertoli cell are essential to the maintenance of the normal shape and cellular organelle arrangement in the cell as well as the architecture of seminiferous epithelium. They may also play an important role in the movement of the elongated spermatids.