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granular transformation of Sertoli cells
Tuesday 20 April 2010
The granular transformation of Sertoli cells is caracterized by Sertoli cells with eosinophilic granular cytoplasm.
Histochemical and ultrastructural examination of granular Sertoli cells revealed that these cells accumulate secondary lysosomes and show scant cytoplasmic organelles.
In the males with varicocele or retractile testes, these lysosomes are probably heterolysosomes that had degraded the germ cells and testicular fluid accumulated in the lumen of the ectatic seminiferous tubules of these testes.
A similar mechanism is also probable in the male with interstitial orchitis that had caused germ cell destruction.
In the other cases, in which the tubules showed reduced lumen and severe germ cell depletion, the abundant lysosomes are probably cytolysosomes.
The development of these cytolysosomes might be related to the Sertoli cell dysgenesis present in these testes.
References
Granular transformation of Sertoli cells in testicular disorders. Nistal M, Garcia-Rodeja E, Paniagua R. Hum Pathol. 1991 Feb;22(2):131-7. PMID: 1672120
