Morphological Quantitative Study on Leydig Cell: Effect of Aging

Choi, Kwang Ho; Lee, Jhy Bok

Abstract

For the study of the effects of aging on testis, the volumes of testis and Leydig cells, young and old aged rats were sacrificed. Twenty eight testes from the young aged rats were used as the normal control. Ten testes showing the atrophic changes and sixteen not-atrophied testes of the old rats were used. After measurements of the volume and weight of the testes they were fixed in Bouin's solution and their sections were stained by Masson's trichrome. The Leydig cells appearing at the graticuels attached to eye-piece of the light microscope were calculated under one hundred magnification. The findings were summarized as follow: 1. The atrophied testes showed degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and had the slightly increased amount of the interstitium in comparison with the control. 2. The weight and volume of the normal control testes were 1.24gm and 1.19ml, respectively, and the proportion and the volume of Leydig cells of it were 3.78% and 0.045ml, respectively. 3. The atrophied testis of the old aged rats showed decreased weight and volume, 0.41gm and 0.57ml, but the proportion of Leydig cells was 9.15%, and the volume of the Leydig cells 0.052ml. 4. The weight and volume of the not-atrophied testis of the old aged rats were 1.73gm and 1.71ml, respectively. The proportion and volume of Leydig cells, however, were 3.04% and 0.052ml.