Figure 3. Ultrastructural changes at the BTB by LPS stimuli in adult mouse testes.

Adult mice were treated with a single dose of LPS (5 mg/kg) on day 0 and terminated on day 5 B. versus mice treated with control group A. The typical ultrastructural features of the BTB were found between two adjacent Sertoli cells lying on the basement membrane in the control testes (C. red arrowhead: actin filament bundles; blue arrowhead: TJ ultrastructures). After LPS treatments, changes in the spermatogenic epithelium were observed as a loosened organization. No obvious actin filament bundles or TJ ultrastructures was found (see red arrowheads in the boxed area in E). Sertoli cells appeared electron-dense and vacuolated, with an accumulation of large electron-dense bodies (D., red asterisks). Bars=20 μm (A and B) and 5 μm (C and D).