HISTOLOGIC OBSERVATIONS IN CRYPTORCHIDISM - CONGENITAL GERMINAL-CELL DEFICIENCY OF UNDESCENDED TESTIS

Previous studies of the histologic appearances of the seminiferous tubules of the undescended testis have demonstrated that there is a retardation of development in terms of size, accompanied by a failure of the germinal epithelium to undergo normal maturation at puberty.1-5 Little attention has been given to the quantitative analysis of the germinal-cell content of these tubules and such studies as have been reported do not cover completely the period from birth to maturity.6-8. The present investigation has been undertaken to determine the normal variation occurring with age in the germinal-cell content of both the developing normal testis and the undescended testis, to assess the effect of the anatomic site of retention of the undescended testis upon the germinal-cell content and to determine whether the scrotal (or descended) testis in cases of unilateral nondescent may be expected to undergo normal spermatogenesis at puberty. © 1970.