Martti Kormano

Dye permeability and alkaline phosphatase activity of testicular capillaries in the postnatal rat

SummaryStaining of testicular and epididymal tissues after intravenous, intraperitoneal or subcutaneous administration of a number of dyes was investigated in rats at different stages of postnatal development. After light green injections heavy staining of both testis and epididymis was visible to the naked eye in neonatal animals up to the age of 10 days, while in rats over 15 days old no appreciable staining of the testis could be seen, although the caput epididymis was strongly coloured. From 3–8 hours after subcutaneous acriflavine administration, the nuclei in the blood vessel walls of the testis, as well as the nuclei in the rete testis, tubuli efferentes and caput epididymis, fluoresced in all age groups. The nuclei of the interstitial and tubular cells were stained intensely until the age of 5 days. Thereafter the intensity gradually diminished until the age of 20 days, when no nuclear fluorescence was visible in the seminiferous tubules and even the interstitial nuclei fluoresced weakly or not at all.The histochemical alkaline phosphatase activity of the testicular capillaries was studied by Gomoris method, using fresh and postfixed cryostat sections from postnatal rat testes. The testicular capillaries exhibited appreciable activity at the age of 10 days.On the basis of the present and previous observations on the permeability of the testicular capillaries, the existence of a blood-testis barrier in the puberal and adult rat testis is suggested.Development of the blood-testis barrier and the alkaline phosphatase activity of the testicular capillaries are suggested to reflect general vascular maturation at the beginning of puberty in the rat.

An angiographic study of the testicular vasculature in the postnatal rat

SummaryThe postnatal development of the rat testicular vasculature was studied, using microangiography and the Indian ink injection technique.1.The gross vascular architecture of the rat testis was seen to remain very similar throughout the postnatal development of the organ.2.In addition to the large anastomosis between spermatic and vasal artery, another small anastomotic connection between the intratesticular and epididymal vasculature was observed to be present in the ligamentum testis.3.The intratesticular microvascular architecture of the newborn rat proved immature and also unorganized in its relation to the interstitial cells and seminiferous tubules. During the first 15 postnatal days little organization occurred, in spite of vascular maturation, but between 20 and 35 days organization into two different capillary networks was seen. One of them was confined to the interstitial tissue between the seminiferous tubules, the other connecting these networks. The latter capillaries were in close contact with the wall of the seminiferous tubules. The adult vascular pattern was attained at the age of 35 days. Maturation of the sub-albugineal capillary network occurred at the same time.4.The significance of the microvascular organization is discussed in relation to the endocrine and spermatogenic functions of the developing and adult rat testis.

Contractility and histochemistry of the myoid cell layer of the rat seminiferous tubules during postnatal development

SummaryThe postnatal development of the seminiferous tubules of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied and the results were correlated with the general development of the animals during 6 months after birth. The following developmental features were observed:1)Body and testis weights increased throughout the observation period.2)Diameter of seminiferous tubules increased up to 60 days, complete spermatogenesis was seen at 50 days.3)Seminiferous tubules began to contract at 15 days, reaching adult values for frequency at 40 days.4)Histochemically demonstrable alkaline phosphatase and 5′-nucleotidase activities appeared from the 10th day onwards, while other nucleoside phosphatase activities were present already at birth.5)Filaments responsible for the contractility appeared to the myoid cells at the age of 15 days.6)The development of the contractility, the ultrastructure of the myoid cells including the filaments and the pattern of histochemically demonstrable phosphatases were observed to coincide and reach their maturity during puberty.

A Microradiography and Histological Study of the Manubrio-Sternal Joint in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The manubrio-sternal joints (MSJs) of 10 male and 10 female non-rheumatoid subjects and of 11 subjects with RA were studied. Microradiography often revealed herniation of the intra-articular fibrocartilaginous disc into the cancellous bone and osteo-arthritic changes. In RA, erosive destruction of the articular surfaces was seen in six cases and in one subject the joint was ankylotic. Histologically the MSJ presented degenerative phenomena but no inflammatory changes in old non-rheumatic subjects. Active inflammation was visible in four joints from rheumatoid subjects, and in another four fibrous replacement suggestive of earlier inflammation was seen. The joints from non-rheumatoid subjects presented a histological joint cavity in nine cases, with or without synovial-like cells lining the cavity. A similar cavity was present in only one of the joints taken from rheumatoid subjects and there were inflammatory changes in the synovial tissue in this joint. It is suggested that involvement of the MSJ in RA m...

Intense phosphatase activity in the developing rete testis of the newborn rat

SummaryThe growing rete testis of the newborn rat was shown to exhibit intense 5′ nucleotidase and nucleoside diphosphatase activity. This high activity was confined to the growing rete cords, both intra- and extratesticularly, but not to any other tubular system in that area. ATP-ase and alkaline or acid phosphatase did not show such a marked difference between other duct structures and the rete cords. The striking histochemical differences between rete testis and seminiferous tubules disappear early in puberty.

Symphysial Changes in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Microradiographies and Histological Study

Autopsied pubic symphyses of 10 male and 10 female non-rheumatoid subjects and of 11 subjects with RA were studied. Osteo-arthritic changes were common in all elderly symphyses. This caused changes in the structure of the end plates and trabeculae. Some non-rheumatoid samples showed changes suggestive of erosion, but no evidence of inflammation. At microradiography the erosions seen in rheumatoid symphyses differed from the controls due to a lack of reactive sclerosis in the surrounding bone, although true inflammation was seen histologically in only two cases.

Presence of steroid-3?-ol-dehydrogenase positive interstitial cells in teased rat seminiferous tubule preparations

SummaryNeither rinsing nor short trypsin digestion did remove all steroid-3β-oldehydrogenase positive cells from the outer surface of teased seminiferous tubules of the rat testis. Unrinsed tubules contained great numbers of Leydig cells and similar cells were visible also after one or two weeks culturing of the tubules. Leydig cells may greatly influence the results of studies concerning biosynthesis and metabolism of separated seminiferous tubules.

Prenatal development of the testicular artery in the rat

SummaryThe morphogenesis of the testicular artery of the rat was studied using the Indian ink injection technique and histology.1.The first primitive vasculature of the gonad appears on the dorsal side of the plica genitalis on the 14th day of intrauterine life.2.On the 16th day the permanent testicular artery with transient superficial branches is seen under the tunica albuginea.3.The first convolutions of the artery appear at 17 days and on the 19th day the characteristic unbranched convolutions have developed fully.4.The site of entrance of the testicular artery into the testis shifts cranially during the prenatal period.5.The development of the functional vasculature cincides with the endocrine activation of the testis.

Combination of microangiography and histochemistry.

SummaryThe enzyme histochemical staining properties of microangiographed tissues were studied with special reference to the contrast filled blood vessels. Colouring of the contrast substance occours when the histochemical methods used involve ammonium sulphide treatment. This may disturb the histochemical reactions of the blood vessels themselves, but in the rest of the tissue all reactions remain undisturbed.