Histochemistry of the Leydig Cells in the Postnatal Prepubertal Testis of the Rat

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Abstract
The histochemistry of 4 enzyme systems (nonspecific esterase, DPNH, β-hydroxybutyrate and steroid-3β-ol dehydrogenases) and. of lipids has been studied in the Leydig tissue of the rat from the 3rd to the 50th postnatal day. The distribution and form of the Leydig cells as revealed by these reactions were different in the prepubertal period as compared with maturity. In both, the Leydig tissue exhibited all the enzyme activities. The number of positive cells diminished rapidly during the 1st postnatal week but more slowly during the 2nd and 3rd weeks. At puberty, enzymatically active Leydig cells appeared evenly distributed in the intertubular tissue. Prepubertal Leydig cells contained sudanophilic lipid material, whereas those of the mature animal did not exhibit any stainable lipids. On the basis of these results and some earlier observations, it is concluded that there are 2 different generations of Leydig cells in the testis of the rat.