Volume 52 (9): 1241-1243, 2004 Copyright ©The Histochemical Society, Inc.
Bismuth Uptake in Rat Testicular Macrophages : A Follow-up Observation Suggesting that Bismuth Alters Interactions Between Testicular Macrophages and Leydig Cells
Department of Neurobiology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark (MS), and Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas (JCH) Correspondence to: M. Stoltenberg, MD, PhD, Dept. of Neurobiology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. E-mail: ms{at}neuro.au.dk Recent studies suggest that bismuth accumulates in Leydig cells. In addition, a reduced level of serum testosterone and a statistically significant reduction of Leydig cells have been observed. It was therefore hypothesized that Bi has a direct toxic effect on rat Leydig cells. We have now developed a method for double labeling of bismuth and ED-2 (a marker for testicular macrophages). The present data demonstrate that the heavily bismuth-loaded cells in rat testis, originally interpreted as being Leydig cells, are bismuth-loaded macrophages. Consequently, our data suggest a modified hypothesis regarding bismuth-induced interactions between testicular macrophages and Leydig cells. (J Histochem Cytochem 52:12411243, 2004)
Key Words: testis heavy metal autometallograhy AMG
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