caa a22 4500 475742419 CHVBK 20180406123503.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170329e20000201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s002400050005 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s002400050005 Myofibroblasts in adolescent varicocele: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study [Elektronische Daten] [C. Romeo, G. Santoro, P. Impellizzeri, N. Turiaco, G. Rizzo, D. Puzzolo, C. Gentile] Myofibroblasts of the testes play an important role in the morphofunctional integrity of the seminiferous tubule. Previous studies in adults with varicocele have demonstrated an involvement of this cell population that tends to transform into fibroblasts. The aim of the present study was to try and verify the morphological features of myofibroblasts in the adolescent with left idiophatic varicocele. Twenty-two testicular biopsies were obtained from adolescents (aged 13-18 years, mean 15.8) and operated for left idiophatic varicocele. Biopsies were processed for electron microscopy (TEM) and immunofluorescence studies. The latter determined the level of myofibroblasts by using α-smooth muscle isoactin, a specific marker of myofibroblasts and, hence, excluding fibroblasts. TEM observations revealed a normal ultrastructure of myofibroblasts that was similar to that for the controls but an increased presence of extracellular matrix. The immunofluorescence study always demonstrated strong cell positivity to anti α-smooth muscle isoactin as also seen in the controls. This study demonstrates that adolescents with varicocele have well preserved myofibroblasts and do not show any evidence of transformation into fibroblasts, this has already been demonstrated in adult varicocele. These observations could represent an important factor for the understanding of the reversal of growth failure of the testes observed after early treatment. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2000 Key words Adolescent varicocele nationallicence Myofibroblasts nationallicence Immunofluorescence nationallicence α-Smooth muscle isoactin nationallicence Romeo C. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut Santoro G. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut Impellizzeri P. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut Turiaco N. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut Rizzo G. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut Puzzolo D. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut Gentile C. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut https://doi.org/10.1007/s002400050005 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s002400050005 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Romeo C. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Santoro G. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Impellizzeri P. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Turiaco N. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Rizzo G. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Puzzolo D. Department of Biomorphology, University of Messina, Italy, IT aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Gentile C. Istituto di Chirurgia Pediatrica Policlinico Universitario Viale Gazzi, 98125 Messina Italy e-mail: carmeloromeo@hotmail.com Tel.: +39 090 221 3002, Fax: +39 090 293 8957, IT aut Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer