They weren't Leydig cells!!!
Alright, I don't know how we got on the subject of Leydig cells during this week's show. A man purportedly regained fertility after undergoing an experimental procedure to counteract impotence brought on by chemotherapy. Said procedure involved the removal via biopsy and saving of healthy testicular tissue prior to the therapy. At the conclusion of the therapy the tissue was implanted back into the testes and began to produce sperm. I believe that one of my co-hosts came up with the idea that Leydig cells were involved in the implantation procedure. In actuality the cells involved are known as germ cells, and are the cells that undergo multiplication and eventually become mature sperm. Leydig cells are responsible for producing androgens (testosterone) that control spermatogenesis. They are found in between the tubules where sperm is produced. Another cell type that was left undiscussed, but exists inside the tubules with the spermatocytes is the sertoli cell, which is responsible for providing the developing sperm cells with support and nutrients. This implantation procedure has many potential implications for male fertility issues if it can be more widely repeated. Read more
here.
current science news posted by Kirsten at 1/31/2002 06:52:00 PM
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