Morphological characteristics of male germ cells of rats in contact with Sertoli cells in vitro

Abstract
Seminiferous epithelium fragments were prepared from 3 wk old rats. Although the Sertoli cells formed a monolayer, germ cells (spermatogonia and early spermatocytes) remained in association with them and were of normal ultrastructural appearance. Germ cells became completely separated from Sertoli cells after 3 wk of culture in a chemically defined medium. The contact areas between Sertoli and germ cells were characterized by desmosome-like junctions while those between germ cells appeared to be pentalaminar.