Histologial and histochemical study on the steroid synthesizing cellular sites in the testes of a hillstream fish Schizothorax plagiostomus

Abstract

Steroidogenic tissue in the testes of Schizothorax plagiostomus mainly consists of the interstitial leydig cells and lobule boundary cells. These cells vary greatly in their distribution in different parts of the same testis. Lipid histochemistry reveals that these cells accumulate abundant lipid droplets consisting of cholesterol and/or its esters, triglycerides and some phospholipids which are depleted during peak spermatogenesis.