Therapeutic Effect of Stem Cells on Male Infertility in a Rat Model: Histological, Molecular, Biochemical, and Functional Study

Figure 6

Electron micrographs of a seminiferous tubule of the MTX-treated group. (a) Distracted basement membrane (BM) with damaged myoid cells (MC), spermatogonia (SG) separated from the basement membrane, damaged Sertoli cells (SC) with a dark, shrunken nucleus, primary spermatocyte (PS), early spermatids (ES) with an abnormal acrosomal cap (arrowhead), and late spermatids (LS). (b) Necrosis and disappearance of certain stages of germ cells with cellular debris, widening of intercellular spaces in between () and loss of Sertoli cells, and early spermatid (ER) with an acrosomal cap. (c) Transverse sections of distorted and malformed sperms in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules (arrows). (d) Abnormal wide interstitial tissue (IT) with degenerated Leydig cell (LC) and blood capillary(C) ((a): TEM, ×1200; (b): ×2000, (c): ×6000; and (d): 3000).

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)