Fine structural changes of allergic aspermatogenesis in the guinea pig

Summary

Allergic aspermatogenesis was induced in the guinea pig either by passive transfer of homologous anti-testis antibodies or by active immunization with homologous testicular homogenate in Freund’s complete adjuvant, and examined by immunofluorescence, light, and electron microscopy. By the injection of the antiserum, the antibodies are localized in the acrosome within 24 hrs. Histological preparations show that the maturing spermatids are decreased in number in the seminiferous tubule without cell infiltration. The initial manifestation of the changes is shown by an irregularly shaped acrosome, followed by the degeneration of the tail filament complex in the Sertoli cell.

In the animals actively immunized with the testicular tissue, the antibodies are found in the acrosome by immunofluorescence microscopy. The spermatid shows the transformed acrosome in the early stage, e.g., 7 days after the immunization, and almost all spermatogenic cells disappear with focal cell infiltration in the interstitium after more than 2 weeks of immunization. Only the Sertoli cells remain in the tubule. However, a mononuclear cell in the tubule was observed occasionally. It is concluded that initial changes induced by a passive transfer of the antiserum and by an active immunization with the testicular tissue are quite similar.