Ultrastructural details of Sertoli cell junctional complexes in vivo and their modifications in tissue culture.

This study was carried out using thin sections, lanthanum tracing, and freeze-cleaving in order to investigate the Sertoli cell junctions of rat testis in vivo and their maintenance in culture. The presence of a new type of membrane specialization has been revealed. This consists of a close association between tight junctions and nexuses. The Sertoli cell contact specializations show a progressive disorganization in vitro correlated with the duration of the period in culture. The relationship between the morphological changes in Sertoli cell junctions and the lack of spermatogenesis in culture is discussed.