Testis & epididymis
Development
Maturation arrest
Author: Turki Al-Hussain, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 September 2012
Minor changes: 9 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2021, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Testis and epididymis Infertility Maturation arrest
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) imagesCite this page: Al-Hussain T. Maturation arrest. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/testismaturationarrrest.html. Accessed January 22nd, 2021.
Definition / general
- Complete maturation arrest: germ cell maturity ceases at a specific point frequently at primary spermatocyte level; sperm counts usually zero
- Incomplete maturation arrest: similar to complete but a few late spermatids are present in a few seminiferous tubules, some prefer the term hypospermatogenesis instead of incomplete maturation arrest (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2010;134:1197); patients are usually oligospermic
- Same etiologies as hypospermatogenesis (diabetes mellitus, toxins, excess heat, varicocele, hypothyroidism, irradiation); also postpubertal gonadotropin deficiency, alkylating agents
- Nonzero sperm counts indicate late spermatids are present somewhere in testis, although perhaps not in area biopsied
- Patients with early maturation arrest have a greater incidence of genetic anomalies and are more likely to have worse reproductive outcomes than are patients with late maturation arrest (Urology 2012;80:826)
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Numerous spermatogonia, few spermatocytes, no mature spermatozoa
- Sertoli cells prominent since reduced germ cells
- Tubules often contain degenerated cells with irregular dense nuclei
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Asmaa Gaber Abdou, M.D.
Various images
