Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Structural changes in rat Leydig cells posthypophysectomy: a morphometric and endocrine study.

L D Russell1, T J Corbin, H P Ren

  • 1Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale 62901-6512.

Endocrinology
|July 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Eculizumab Salvage Therapy for Antibody-Mediated Rejection in a Desensitization-Resistant Intestinal Re-Transplant Patient.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2015
Same author

MicroRNA signature of intestinal acute cellular rejection in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded mucosal biopsies.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2011
Same author

Tachykinins and their gene expression in the anterior pituitary of the siberian hamster-Effects of photoperiod, thyroid hormones, and analogs of hypothalamic hormones.

Endocrine·2010
Same author

The effects of short photoperiod, pinealectomy, and melatonin treatment on oxytocin synthesis and release in the male syrian hamster.

Endocrine·2010
Same author

Vitamin D (Soltriol) receptors in the choroid plexus and ependyma: Their species-specific presence.

Molecular and cellular neurosciences·2009
Same author

Galanin gene expression in the hypothalamopituitary axis of the ames dwarf mouse.

Molecular and cellular neurosciences·2009
Same journal

Zingerone ameliorates ovarian impairment by regulating steroidogenesis and apoptosis in letrozole-treated mouse.

Endocrinology·2026
Same journal

Loss of the calorie restriction response protein DEPP1 worsens diet-induced obesity.

Endocrinology·2026
Same journal

Long Non-Coding RNAs Mediate Endocrine Signaling and Resistance in Prostate Cancer.

Endocrinology·2026
Same journal

Repeated Chemogenetic Activation of C1 Catecholamine Neurons Reduces Subsequent Glucoprivic Responses and Mimics HAAF.

Endocrinology·2026
Same journal

Postnatal exposure to maternal hypothyroidism leads to developmental delay and metabolic dysregulations in male mice.

Endocrinology·2026
Same journal

Discovery proteomics identification of factors contributing to gonadotropin β expression.

Endocrinology·2026
See all related articles

Hypophysectomy causes significant structural changes in rat Leydig cells, impacting cell volume and organelle size. These changes correlate with reduced testosterone levels and LH receptor content, indicating Leydig cell dysfunction.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Leydig cells are crucial for testosterone production in the testes.
  • Hypophysectomy, the removal of the pituitary gland, disrupts the hormonal regulation of the testes.
  • Understanding Leydig cell responses to hypophysectomy is vital for comprehending testicular function and dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the short-term (6 days) and long-term (28 days) structural responses of rat Leydig cells after hypophysectomy.
  • To correlate structural changes with testosterone levels and luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor expression.
  • To identify specific Leydig cell organelles or features most sensitive to hypophysectomy.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative stereological analysis of Leydig cells from control and hypophysectomized rats at 6 and 28 days post-surgery.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measurement of various structural parameters including cell volume, organelle volumes, and surface areas.
  • Assessment of serum and tissue testosterone levels.
  • Quantification of LH receptor content per testis and per Leydig cell.

    • Main Results:

    • Short-term hypophysectomy led to significant decreases (2- to 5-fold) in most Leydig cell and organelle structural parameters, with lipid showing a particularly rapid loss.
    • Long-term hypophysectomy also resulted in widespread structural reductions, with some parameters showing greater decline compared to the short-term group.
    • Most structural parameters positively correlated with testosterone levels, except for nucleolus, heterochromatin, lipid, and lysosome volumes.
    • LH receptor content per testis and per Leydig cell decreased, but receptor density on the plasma membrane remained unchanged.

    Conclusions:

    • Rat Leydig cells undergo substantial structural alterations following hypophysectomy, even during early stages of germ cell degeneration.
    • These structural changes are closely linked to decreased testosterone production and altered LH receptor dynamics.
    • The findings highlight the sensitivity of Leydig cell structure to pituitary hormone withdrawal and its impact on testicular function.