Shudies on the Leydig cells in the Testis of Korean Native Goats

한국재래산양의 정소내 Leydig 세포에 관한 연구

This study was conducted in order to obtain the number and size of Leydig cell in the testis in accordance with the growth of Korean native goat. Twenty-one Korean native male goats were examied, and was divided into seven groups by 4 weeks interval from 8 to 32 weeks of age. The results were as follows: 1. The number of Leydig cells in the interstitial tissue were increased in accordance with age. The number of cells were increased twice from 1.3 cells at 8 weeks to 2.6 cells at 12 weeks of age, from 2.6 cells at 12 weeks to 5.5 cells at 24 weeks, respectively. And the cells were slightly increased from 5.5 cells at 16 weeks to 6.7 cells at 32 weeks. 2. The smallest cells were found in goats at 8 weeks of age, being 8.2${\mu}$m, and it showed noncontinual growth among groups of 12, 16 and 20 weeks of age, recording 9.18, 8.82 and 9.05${\mu}$m respectively. Leyding cells in 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age showed matured size being 10.42, 10.81 and 10.67${\mu}$m respectively. 3. Rows or clusters of Leydig cells were scattered in the loose connective tissue around lymphatic simusoids and blood vessels. Nuclei of Leydig cells were found to have 2 types, one type was stained pale and the other were stained dark. As a result of this study, Leydig cells found in the interstitial tissue were considered to grow until 20 weeks of age after birth, and reached to almost full maturated form by 24 weeks of ages.