Cell Death of Spermatogones (Cryptorchidism)

Graph of the number of spermatogones in cryptorchidism depending on the age. During orchidopexy in cryptorchidism a testicular biopsy was performed in a large number of patients from infancy to the age of 6 years and the number of spermatogones counted in 50 tubuli. Gray column: Normal number of spermatogones. Interrupted line: Mean value of the number of spermatogones. o: Histologically abnormal testis. Black dots: Histologically normal testis. The older the patients, the less frequent are testicles with a normal number of spermatogones, and the lower the number of spermatogones. A possible explanation is that the longer the abnormal site of the testis remains postnatally, the larger and more frequent are the histological abnormalities including a loss of spermatogones (so-called cell death of sprematogones). (Hösli P. O.: Lageanomalien des Hodens. In: Bettex M et al .2. Auflage. Kinderchirurgie. Thieme: Stuttgart,1982).