Morphological findings in varicocele: an ultrastructural study of 30 bilateral testicular biopsies

Abstract

A systematic study of a series of thirty bilateral biopsies of testes was performed using electron microscopy. Observations showed how frequently there were bilateral changes within the Sertoli cells. These included a sometimes extensive vacuolization of the endoplasmic reticulum which may cause germ cells to exfoliate. Bilateral vascular lesions including modifications of the capillary endothelium which becomes thick and rich in pinocytotic vesicles and arteriolar spasms with an increase in number of microfilaments in the endothelial cells were constantly observed.