Title: THE 9TH "LJUDEVIT JURAK" INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
Author: Zavod za patologiju
Last saved by: davor.jezek

European Society of Pathology
Academy of Medical Sciences of Croatia
Institute for Clinical Medical Investigations of Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Zagreb
Veterinary Faculty Zagreb

18^th LJUDEVIT JURAK INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 
ON COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY
June 1-2, 2007  ⯏  Multimedial Center, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia

ABSTRACT FORM
Please return this form by April, 1^st , 2007 to
Davor Tomas, MD, Secretary of the Symposium
Ljudevit Jurak University Department of Pathology
Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital
10000 Zagreb, Vinogradska 29, Croatia
Phone: + 385 1 37 87 909 ⯏ Fax: +385 1 37 87 244
E-mail: juraks@kbsm.hr

For secretariat use only

N^o 

Title (in CAPITAL LETTERS):
REINKE’S CRYSTALS IN INFERTILE PATIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS: 
⯏ Abstracts must be submitted in	    English. The abstract form should 
be compiled as follows:
⯏ Abstract, including title and authors name, must be written within the frame and should not exceed 1 page.
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⯏ Type mailing address, phone, 
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⯏ Abstracts should be composed as
follows: aim of the study,
methods used, results obtained,
conclusions reached. 
⯏ The literature should be cited as follows: First author (if more than one) 
et al., Journal  Year of publication; Volume: first page.  (Up to 3 references.)
⯏ Abstract should be sent on diskette along with two copies of the printout. Microsoft Word files are preferred.
⯏ Abstracts could be sent by e-mail.
⯏ All abstracts received until April 1, 2007 will be published in Acta Clinica Croatica.
⯏Please note that the abstracts of participants who do not pay the registration fee until May 1, 2007 
will not be published. 

Name(s) of author(s) (Presenting author underlined), institution, city, country:
Davor Ježek^1, David Geist ^2,Ljerka Banek^1, Gordana Jurić Lekić^1, Hans Peter Karnthaler^2, Thomas Waitz^2, Blaženka Foretić^3, Kristina Šemanjski^1
1-University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Dept. Histology and Embryology, Croatia; 2- University of Vienna, Institute of Materials Physics, Austria; 3- University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Dept. Chemistry and Biochemistry, Croatia; davorjezek@yahoo.com

Introduction & aim. Reinke's crystals are normal constituents of human Leydig cells. The nature and function of these crystals is poorly understood. They can be found in the testis of some primates and the New Zealand white rabbit. However, it should be pointed out that no Reinke's crystals in other species (i.e. rodents etc.) have been detected. The crystals resemble hexagonal prisms of variable size (mostly 2-3 μm). They are composed of parallel 10nm filaments and do not have a unit membrane. Sometimes a single crystal could be found in the cytoplasm and/or the nucleus of Leydig cells. There is a lack of data on number, architecture and composition of Reinke’s crystals, especially in infertile patients. The aim of our study was to analyse Reinke’s crystals in patients with normal spermatogenesis and in the biopsies of patients with cryptorchidism and non-obstructive azoospermia. 
Materials and methods. Paraffin blocks have been retrieved from the archive of testicular biopsies (Dept. Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb). 12 biopsies with a preserved testicular architecture and spermatogenesis served as controls. The infertile group consisted of 37 paraffin blocks originating form cryptorchid patients and 96 paraffin blocks of testicular biopsies obtained from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. All tissue samples were fixed in the Gendre fixative. Paraffin blocks were sectioned in serial sections, 4μm thick. The sections were placed onto slides and stained according to a modified Masson’s method. After staining, the slides were observed by a binocular microscope (Nikon Ecllipse 200). 
Results. In control samples, a regular architecture of the testis tissue including full spermatogeneis could be observed. Within Leydig cells, a moderate presence of Reinke’s crystals could be seen. The vast majority of the crystals were located within the cytoplasm of Leydig cells. However, the crystals (a much smaller form) could be observed in the nucleus of these cells. In the cases of non-obstructive azoospermia, most of the cases presented a “mixed atrophy” of seminiferous tubules. In these samples, it seemed that the number of Reinke’s crystals was somehow reduced. Cryptorchid testes displayed (in the vast majority of cases) a histological picture of “Sertoli cells only syndrome”. Interestingly, in these samples, an abundant presence of Reinke’s crystals could be found.
Conclusion. It seems that, most probably due to the different aetiology, cyrptorchidism and non-obstructive azoospermia act differently on Reinke’s crystals.