Annulate lamellae in guinea pig Sertoli cells

Unilateral torsion of the spermatic cord was surgically induced in 24 Hartley strain guinea pigs. Groups of six animals were sacrificed 4, 8, 12, and 16 months after the surgery and testes were excised. Nine animals has severely damaged testes. Extensive study on the Sertoli cells of each of these nine animals was carried out after testicular tissues were processed for electron microscopy following the usual procedure. The majority of the affected seminiferous tubules contained a single layer of Sertoli cells without any differentiating germ cells. The Sertoli cells were vacuolated and contained highly lobulated nuclei. Each nucleus contained a nucleolus. The Sertoli cells contained an elaborate annulate lamellae system. The membranous portion of the annulate lamellae was associated with the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Close association of the annulate lamellae with the lysosomes and lipid droplets was found to be a consistent feature. Although it was not possible for us to predict the functional significance of these annulate lamellae, the present investigation clearly established for the first time, the presence of an annulate lamellae system in the Sertoli cell of a rodent species.