TEMPORAL COINCIDENCE OF THE APPEARANCE OF ELONGATED SPERMATIDS AND OFHISTOCHEMICAL REACTION OF 11-BETA-HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE IN RATLEYDIG-CELLS

The serial semithin sections of the testes of perfused rats (age: 25-4 1 postnatal days) were evaluated microscopically on each alternative d ay for the morphology of spermatogenetic cells and especially for sper matid differentiation. The histochemical reaction for non-specific est erases, 3alpha-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase (HSDH), 3beta-HSDH, 11beta -HSDH, 17beta-HSDH were performed in cryostat sections of correspondin g rat testes (age: 25-55 days). Eight different types of germ cell ass ociations (designated as A-H) appeared from day 25 to day 41. Seven st eps of differentiation of spermatids were characterized. The turning p oint of spermatid maturation was observed on day 35. Prior to this day , mainly spermatids step 1 were identified. On day 35 spermatids steps 1-5 were present. The reactions of non-specific esterases, 3beta-HSDH , 17beta-HSDH and 3alpha-HSDH were observed in the Leydig cells of all testes. Only from day 35 onwards could 11beta-HSDH be demonstrated. T he temporal sequence of the differentiation of spermatids and the appe arance of histochemical activity of 11beta-HSDH in the Leydig cells se em to be closely correlated. An additional observation concerning the presence of germ cell debris was made in the seminiferous tubules duri ng the postnatal development. Large amounts of debris were observed on ly till day 33.