Histochemical study of glycogen and phosphorylase activity on bilateral biopsies of oligospermic men with varicocele

Varicocele is responsible for a high percentage of impairment of spermatogenesis. In contrast to the normal human testis, Sertoli cell glycogen is reduced, while the reaction product of phosphorylase is considerably increased. Even if the mechanism by which varicocele produces deleterious effects on male fertility remains obscure, an anomaly in glycogen metabolism appears to be present bilaterally in impaired spermatogenesis due to the varicocele.