Organization of interstitial tissue in the testis of the salamander Necturus maculosus (Caudata:Proteidae)

In Necturus maculosus the organization of the interstitial tissue varies according to the stage of spermatogenesis. Leydig cells at various stages of differentiation and myoid cells are always present in this tissue. The Leydig cells are undifferentiated at all phases of germ cell activity and only hypertrophy following spermiation and degeneration of Sertoli cells. These Leydig cells are structurally analogous to mammalian Leydig cells. They do not form part of the lamina propria of the seminiferous lobules and hence cannot be referred to as lobule-boundary cells previously described in the urodele testis (Lofts, '74). When the Leydig cells hypertrophy, numerous unmyelinated axons appear in the interstitial tissue. These axons, often devoid of Schwann-cell cytoplasm, occur in close proximity to Leydig cells. Because the levels of both Substance P and neurotensin increased in the testis of Necturus maculosus as Leydig cells differentiated, we concluded that these neural elements may regulate Leydig-cell function locally, through the release of neuropeptides.