ULTRASTRUCTURAL OBSERVATIONS OF THE GOSSYPOL EFFECT ON THE SERTOLI CELLS IN RAT / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to investigate the ultrastructural changes of Sertoli cells of rat testis following gossypol administration at a dosage of 30 mg/kg/day for 4～6 weeks. Results indicate that 4 weeks after gossypol treatment, a series of ultrastructural changes concerning with phagocytic activity such as increased in amount of lysosomes, lipid droplets, ring or cup shaped mitochondria as well as the multiform changes of mitochondria and lysosomes were evident in the Sertoli cell. However, by 6 weeks after treatment, the Sertoli cells became "inactive" and began to show degenerative changes distension and vesiculization of endoplasmic reticulum, accumulation of lipid droplets, cellular debris and lysosomes in varying sizes and phases, and the occurrence of atrophic changes of mitochondria. The nature of these changes in Sertoli cells following gossypol treatment and its significance was discussed.