J Korean Androl Soc.
1997 Dec;15(2):117-122.
Spermatogenesis and Morphologic Changes of Testis in Aging Men
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Pusan National University Pusan, Korea.
Abstract
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: All human organs suffer the phenomena of aging, including the morphologic and functional changes with degeneration, which are determined by changes in physiologic needs and genetically controlled programs. We analyzed the morphologic changes of the testis over more than six decades of life to evaluate the reproductive function in aging men.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We examined H&E-stained testicular biopsy specimens obtained from 35 prostatic cancer patients (stage T2-T4) aged 50 to 83 (mean 68.6) years undergoing orchiectomy. The observed features were the presence of basement membrane thickening and obstruction of the seminiferous tubules, Leydig cell changes, arteriolar hyalinization (to determine the morphologic change)and the average Johnsen score in 50 seminiferous tubules (to measure spermatogenesis). RESULT: The Johnsen score decreased with aging (r=0.2398). Basement membrane thickening, obstruction of the seminiferous tubules, Leydig cell loss, and arteriolar hyalinization increased with aging, with the change being especially significant in the ninth decade (p<0.05). The Johnsen score was decreased in the presence of the morphologic changes of seminiferous tubular obstruction, Leydig cell hypertrophy, and decreased arteriolar hyalinization, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
Changes in spermatogenesis and endocrine activity can be identified from the testicular morphologic changes in aging men.
