Studies on the participation of tunica albuginea and rete testis (TA and RT) in the quantitative structure of human...

In 309 testes, the % proportion of the tunica albuginea (TA) and rete testis (RT) was determined in the quantitative composition of the testis. The weight of the testis ranged widely from 3.0 to 34.5 g, mean weight 14.67 +/- 6.0 g, with a statistically non-significant difference in favour of the right testis (15.3 +/- 6.32 g). The mean weight of the testes decreased with age, being 16.77 g in young men, 14.98 g in middle-aged men, and 13.6 g in old men. The absolute weight of TA and RT ranged from 1.0 to 12.0 g, being on the average 3.57 +/- 1.42 g. Similarly as the mean weight of the testis, that of TA and RT was not significantly different between the right and left testis, and between various age groups. On the other hand, a significant rise was observed in the % proportion of the mass of TA and RT in the total mass of the testis in various age groups. In young men, this proportion was 20.36%, in middle-aged men 24.28%, and in old men 28.83%. Statistically significant differences appeared between the mean values in the youngest and oldest age groups and the oldest and middle age groups. In the whole material, the % proportion of TA and RT in the quantitative composition of the testis ranged from 13.6 to 75.0%, being 25.7 +/- 8.1% on the average. Identical results were obtained by 2 different methods in men dying between 17 and 91 a of age, and the mean age of them was 58.2 a.