Reinvestigation of the fine structure of Reinke's crystal in the human testicular interstitial cell

Abstract

Testicular biopsy materials of men were examined with the electron microscope equipped with a tilling stage. An optical transformation method was applied for the electron microscope images. An attempt was made to clarify relationships between the contour and the internal pattern of Reinke's crystal in the interstitial cell. The shape of this crystal is a hexagonal prism. Three types of internal patterns are observed in relation to the main planes of the crystal. The crystal consists of 50-A-thick filaments. It is trigonal, a = 300 A, c = 450 A, being similar to catalase crystals studied by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy (20), but the dimensions are different. Dislocations of Reinke's crystal are also analyzed. In some interstitial cells without Reinke's crystal, specially arranged 50-A-thick filaments are observed. They are similar in arrangement to the pattern within Reinke's crystal, but not so closely compacted. Morphological similarities and dissimilarities between this crystal and other crystal and crystalloid structures are discussed.