Patient's question:
What is the cause of atrophic seminiferous tubules, my son was diagnosed with this disease.Doctor's answer:
Experts from Zhaoqing Fukang Hospital replied: Sertoli cell hypoplasia, also known as Klinefelter syndrome, has many names such as sclerosing tubular atrophy, congenital testicular dysgenesis, and primary microorchidism. This condition exhibits mild symptoms before puberty and is often unnoticed. During puberty, typical symptoms include small and firm testicles, with a longitudinal diameter not exceeding 2 centimeters, about half the average length of adult males. Affected individuals tend to be tall and slender with delicate skin and long body hair. They often have sparse facial hair, and about half of them develop gynecomastia during puberty, along with reduced sexual function and infertility. Some patients may also have mild intellectual disabilities. Testicular biopsy reveals hyalinization and thickening of the basal membrane in the seminiferous tubules, atrophy or disappearance of spermatogenic cells, leaving only Sertoli cells, and multiple occluded lumens. The interstitial tissue shows excessive collagen fiber proliferation, with clustered interstitial cells and reduced lipid droplets within the cells. Plasma testosterone levels are normal or slightly decreased, while estrogen production increases, leading to an imbalance between the two. In most cases, blood and urine levels of gonadotropins are significantly elevated, with the most notable increase in FSH levels. Semen analysis shows a low sperm count or azoospermia.