THE FINE STRUCTURE OF A POSSIBLE CARCINOMA‐IN‐SITU IN THE SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES IN THE TESTIS OF FOUR INFERTILE MEN

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Abstract
An abnormal morphology of germ cells was found in the seminiferous epithelium of four infertile men, three of whom developed a carcinoma of the same testis. The ultrastructure of the abnormal germ cells from the different patients were compared and found to be almost identical. The fine structure of the cells was also compared with that of the normal pre‐ and postpubertal germ cells described in the literature. We found that the abnormal germ cells were similar to the former although they also possesed several malignant features as regards the size and shape of nucleus, nucleolus and the density of cytoplasmic organelles. The ultrastructure of the Sertoli cells was compared with that of normal pre‐ and postpubertal Sertoli cells described in the literature. Morphologically they seemed to be normal postpubertal Sertoli cells. The findings indicate that the abnormal cells represent a carcinomain‐situ of rather primitive germ cell origin.