Formal genesis of giant cells in the germinal epithelium in the rat thioglucose model.

The formal genesis of polymorphnucleated giant cells in the testis has been studied in the rat thioglucose model. The giant cells derive mainly from clumped spermatids (greater than 90%) which have lost their contact to Sertoli cells. The process of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis as well as the synchronisation of germ cell maturation apparently depend on intercellular bridges of the germ cell populations. Lightmicroscopic findings have shown that with the formation of polymorphnucleated giant cells these links are lost.