| Abstract: | The fate of residual bodies which form as spermatids are released from the seminiferous epithelium has been studied as part of a cytological investigation of the Sertoli cells during the stages of rat spermatogenesis. Testes from normal adult rats were fixed by whole body perfusion. All 14 stages of rat spermatogenesis were identified and studied by light and electron microscopy. Residual bodies are released at Stage 8 and are found in the luminal spaces of the seminiferous epithelium. During Stage 9 they appear to migrate peripherally in channels of the Seroli cell cytoplasm. During this migration, lysosomal-like bodies surround the residual bodies and appear to be involved in the degradative process. A considerable proportion of the lipid material persists and forms basal collections in the Sertoli cells. The lipid inclusions reach a peak at Stages 13 and 14 of the cycle and persist until Stage 2 and 3. Some lipid inclusions persist until Stage 4 to 7 when noticeable decrease occurs corresponding to the peripheral migration of maturing spermatids. |
