Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.5562/cca1814

Reinke´s Crystals in Perivascular and Peritubular Leydig Cells

Viviana Kozina ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ljerka Banek ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Nikola Knežević ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Clinical Hospital Centre “Zagreb”, Clinic for Urology, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
David Geist ; University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Lucie Kubinová ; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Physiology, Department of Biomathematics, Vídeňská 1083,14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
Marin Kosović ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Physics, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Christian Rentenberger ; University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Andreja Vukasović ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Davor Ježek ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The human testis is composed of seminiferous tubules and interstitium. Within the interstitium,
residing Leydig cells can occasionally bear Reinke´s crystals. The aim of the current study was to investigate
Reinke´s crystals in perivascular and peritubular Leydig cells in control and infertile (cryptorchid)
testes. For that purpose, bright field, confocal and transmission electron microscopy were applied. The
crystal lattice was investigated by Fast Fourier Transformation and the number of crystals determined by
stereology. Results of the study indicated a higher number of crystals in perivascular cells (in the both
control and cryptorchid group). Moreover, when control and cryptorchid specimens were compared for
the presence of the crystal, a higher number of Reinke´s crystals was recorded in cryptorchid testes. Thick
sections of the crystal were extremely helpful in yielding crystallographic data which confirmed a trigonal
crystal structure of the lattice. The exact molecular composition of crystal’s microfilaments still remains
unknown. (doi: 10.5562/cca1814)

Keywords

biocrystals; crystal of Reinke; Leydig cells; transmission electron microscopy; crystallography; stereology

Hrčak ID:

71978

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/71978

Publication date:

3.10.2011.

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