DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC-ACID HISTOGRAM OF TESTES IN PRIMARY TRANSSEXUALISM

The influence of oestrogen on spermatogenesis was evaluated by compari ng its effect on the testes of primary male transsexuals and those who had undergone hormone therapy for prostatic carcinoma. Eight primary transsexuals were studied. They had been diagnosed on clinical and psy chiatric evidence and had been on oestrogen therapy for several years since puberty. Histological sections of testicular tissue obtained at reassignment surgery from 8 phenotypic male transsexuals (aged 24-32 y ears) with an XY chromosome complement were studied by light microscop y. The formalin-embedded specimens were analysed by flow cytometry for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) histograms. Both the histology and D NA h istograms revealed a pattern of maturation arrest in 12 of 16 testes i n which the diploid cell compartment occupied most of the spermatogene tic element, followed by tetraploid and monoploid cells. Two testes sh owed impaired spermatogenesis and 2 were normal. The DNA histograms an d pathology were also evaluated in 20 testes after 3 to 8 years of hor mone therapy in patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma (aged 60-78 years). No maturation arrest was found in these patients. Sixteen of them had a pattern of fibrosis and atrophy and 4 had impaired spermato genesis. It was concluded that oestrogen influenced spermatogenesis an d affected the maturation of spermatogonia mostly during puberty.