INTERSTITIAL-TISSUE IN THE TESTIS OF THE GIANT RAT, CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS

Besides Leydig cells macrophages form considerable part of the interst itial tissue in the giant rat, Cricetomys gambianus. Leydig cells cont ain bundles of usually six io twelve parallel tubes with walls of long itudinal layers alternating with circular layers of microfilaments. Po lyribosomes, both free and membrane bound, are concentrated around or inside the tubes. The tubes may enclose mitochondria and microperoxiso mes as well. The light cytosol of the macrophages is dotted with elect ron-dense 5-nm particles which might be ferritin. Specific contacts ex ist between Leydig cells and macrophages indicating a functional inter dependence between these two cell types.