Figure 2.

Photomicrographs of testicular semithin sections stained with toluidine blue ×1000. (a) Group I reveals part of a seminiferous tubule surrounded by basal lamina and flat myoid cells with flattened nuclei (red arrows). Spermatogonia (black arrows) rest on the basement membrane, primary spermatocytes with their characteristic nuclei (blue arrows) and spermatids near the lumen (arrowheads) are seen. Sertoli cell (curved arrow) appears among the spermatogenic cells, with irregular poorly defined outline and basal oval pale nucleus with prominent nucleolus. (b) Group II loses the normal appearance of spermatogenic cells; separated in most areas (arrowhead), there is extensive vacuolation in their cytoplasm with loss of their nuclei (arrows). Sertoli cell (curved arrow) appears with its basal pale nucleus and prominent nucleolus. (c) Group III has reduced layers of spermatogenic epithelium with loss of cellular connection and a lot of empty spaces among them (arrowhead). Spermatogonia (thick arrow) and Sertoli cells (spiral arrow) rest on the basement membrane. Spermatocytes with their large nuclei (curved arrows) and sperms appear near the lumen (thin arrow) are seen. (d) Group IV shows seminiferous tubule surrounded with basal lamina and myoid cells (thin arrow). Primary spermatocytes (spiral arrow), early sperms near the lumen (curved arrow), and Sertoli cell are present (arrowhead)