New fine structural observations in testicular malakoplakia: role of the Sertoli cell.

A case of testicular malakoplakia is described in which cells other than histiocytes were involved in the tissue response. The abundant cell junctions, some closely related to mitochondria, and the peripheral displacement of rough endoplasmic reticulum by abundant phagolysosomes, suggest involvement of Sertoli cells, in addition to histiocytes. It is suggested that, perhaps, some forms of granulomatous orchitis and malakoplakia represent a single disease process observed at a different stage in its evolution.