At what age should we attempt to retrieve sperm from males with Klinefelter syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a common disorder and almost every clinician in almost every sub-specialty of medicine will knowingly or unwittingly treat boys or men with a 47,XXY chromosomal constitution. Although there are numerous aspects of KS worthy of discussion, this contribution will focus specifically on the controversial, and as yet unresolved, issue of whether it is advantageous to harvest testis tissue from peri-pubertal or adolescent boys with KS in a heroic effort to preserve that child’s chances of reproduction in his future adult life. What would be the rationale for that, how does the biology of spermatogenesis in the Klinefelter testis impact that decision, and what does the data show? The answer, assembled from a selection of seemingly disparate sources and directions, appears to be “No”. We do not have to advocate for an aggressive approach, we do not have to preemptively preserve future fertility. We can justifiably wait until adulthood with equivalent chances of success.     

P物质对培养的大鼠睾丸细胞睾酮分泌的影响

目的　研究P物质 (SP)对睾丸细胞分泌睾酮 (T)的影响。方法　应用细胞培养技术和放谢免疫测定法研究不同浓度的P物质对睾丸细胞分泌睾酮是否有直接作用。结果　实验组 (加入SP)的培养液T的含量比对照组 (未加SP)明显减少。实验组分别与对照组进行两两比较 (t -test)并采用单因素方差分析 ,P均 <0 0 1差异有高度的显著性。结论　P物质对培养的大鼠睾丸细胞分泌T有直接抑制作用 ,且随着浓度增加 ,抑制作用增强     

c-erbB2蛋白在大鼠睾丸中的分布

用免疫组织化学方法观察基因基白c-erbB2在大鼠睾丸中的分布。结果：未成年大鼠睾丸生精上皮细胞和间质细胞中均未见c-erbB2免疫染色阳性颗粒,成年大鼠睾丸曲细精管中的圆形精子细胞,精子和残体均可见c-erbB2蛋白存在。提示原癌基因c-erbB2的活性可能参与精子形成的调控。     

Diffuse inflammatory pseudotumor of the testis,the epididymis and the spermatic cord

Inflammatory pseudotumors have been recognized in many parts of the body. A case of a diffuse variant which involved the testis, the epididymis and the spermatic cord is described. The patient had enlarged left testis for several months. Clinically, the lesion mimicred cancer. Histologically, the lesion contained hyalinized fibrous tissue with spindle cells, plasma cells and lymphocytes. Gradual involvement of vascular channels by the cellular elements of inflammatory pseudotumor was observed. Results of immunohistochemical studies showed a myofibroblast differentiation in the majority of spindle cells: intense antibody staining for smooth muscle actin, muscle specific actin, and vimentin. The ultrastructural findings, intracytoplasmic filaments with dense bodies, were also consistent with the myofibroblastic nature of these cells. The histiocyte differentiation of spindle cells is questionable in our case, because only scattered histiocyte-like cells showed positivity with the KP-1 (CD-3) antibody.     

Tubular ectasia of the rete testis: a potential pitfall in scrotal imaging

Tubular ectasia of the rete testis (TERT) is a benign entity due to dilation of the tubules of the rete testis. Most of the time it is discovered incidentally on scrotal sonograms and may be misinterpreted as malignant. This article outlines the diagnostic criteria of TERT, its possible causes, its incidence and its potential evolution. Recognizing this entity owing to its characteristic clinical, sonographic and, if necessary, MRI features is important to avoid unnecessary surgery or biopsies. Received: 4 August 1998; Revised: 15 April 1999; Accepted: 19 April 1999     

Chronic effect of endosulfan on the testicular functions of rat

Aim: To find out the toxic effect of endosulfan on the tesficular function of pubertal rats, Methods: Male rats of pu-bertal age were orally administered endosulfan at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg body weight for 30 days. Twenty-four hours af-ter the last tmagnent, the rats were sacrificed and the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicles and ventral prostate were re-moved and weighed. A 10 % testicular homogenate was prepared for biochemical estimations. Results: In endosul-fan-treated rats, there were a reduction in the body weight and the weights of testis and accessory sex organs, a de-crease in the testicular lactate and pyruvate activities, and in the testicular DNA and RNA concentrations, whereas thetesticular protein concentration was slightly increased; the specific activity of testicular steroidogenic enzyme, 33OH-steroid dehydrogenase and the ascorbic acid level were decreased, which were correlated with a decrease in steroidoge-nesis. The lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase and brush-border enzyme alkaline phosphatase activities were also de-creased in the testis of treated rats. Conclusion: In puhertal rats, endosulfan treaanent inhibits the testicular functions.(Asian J Androl 1999 Dec; 1 : 203 - 206)     

氟硒联合作用对大鼠精子及睾丸形态学影响的研究

目的探讨氟硒及其联合作用对大鼠精子及睾丸形态学的影响。方法采用饮水加硒（３ｍｇ／Ｌ）和食物摄氟（５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ）的方法。结果加氟可使大鼠精子总数减少、存活率降低及睾丸生精过程受到轻度抑制,曲细精管管径变小等病理形态学改变。当硒氟共同作用时,上述变化均有不同程度的减轻。结论此剂量条件下的硒可拮抗慢性氟中毒所引起的生殖系统的变化。     

烹调油烟对大鼠睾丸毒性的影响

作者探讨了烹调油烟（ Ｃ Ｏ Ｆ）对雄性大鼠生殖性损伤的毒作用机制。按时相（２０、４０、６０天）给雄性 Ｓ Ｄ 大鼠吸入同一浓度（３６～５３ ｍ ｇ／ｍ ３ ）的 Ｃ Ｏ Ｆ,观察 Ｃ Ｏ Ｆ对睾丸及其微量元素的影响。结果表明,吸入 Ｃ Ｏ Ｆ４０、６０天时大鼠体重均有降低趋势;睾丸、附睾脏器及其与体重的比值均分别低于对照组（ Ｐ＜ ００５）,且呈时 效关系;染毒４０、６０天时精子含量和存活率显著降低,而畸形率明显增高,且死精子多;染毒４０、６０天时睾丸中 Ｚｎ、 Ｍｎ 代谢紊乱,出现 Ｚｎ 低, Ｍｎ 高,均呈时 效关系。提示, Ｃ Ｏ Ｆ对性腺具有明显毒性,同时微量元素代谢紊乱可能对性腺的损害起了重要作用。     

Is the retractile testis a normal,physiological variant or an anomaly that requires active treatment?

Conventional teaching states that the retractile testis is a normal, physiological variant that descends spontaneously by puberty and requires no active treatment. Critical review of the literature, however, suggests that this complacent view may be inappropriate. Substantial overlap exists between the three seemingly separate entities of the late descending, the ascending and the retractile testes. This overlapping group probably accounts for the recently observed increased incidence of orchidopexies. Retractile testes that spend most of the time in an extrascrotal position are subject to the same adverse effects of higher temperatures as true undescended testes, regardless of whether they can be manipulated into the scrotum; what matters is where they actually reside most of the time. The evidence suggests that such retractile testes suffer similar pathological changes to true undescended testes if left to await spontaneous descent. Evidence is presented to support a radical, novel proposal that the retractile testis is a variant of the spectrum of pathological maldescended testes and requires active treatment. A new strategy is proposed for the management of this common pathology. Correspondence to: D. W. Goh