Spermatogonial intercellular bridges in whole-mounted seminiferous tubules from normal and irradiated rodent testes

Whole-mounted seminiferous tubules from normal and irraidated rodent testes were examined by light microscopy. These studies reveal the presence of intercellular bridges in all classes of spermatogonia except for the new As stem cells. It is proposed that the intercellular bridges mediate both differentiation and degeneration of spermatogonia. Moreover, the fact that spermatogonia in both normal and irradiated testes degenerate in clusters is determined by the presence of intercellular bridges. Lastly, the integrity of the bridges appears essential for normal germ cell development