Ultrastructure of the Male Urogenital Glands

Book excerpt: Male urogenital glands (also named male accessory sex glands) have received relatively little attention from electron microscopists, with the possible exception of the prostate gland. Moreover, even though comparative studies have clearly shown that these glands exhibit species-dependent features, very few studies, scattered over various publications, are available on the urogenital glands of man. This volume, the 11th of the series on Electron Microscopy in Biology and Medicine, presents an unprecedented collection of information on the functional microanatomy and cytoarchitecture of these organs in humans. Through the integration of transmission and scanning electron microscopy with a variety of modern techniques, it documents the most important aspects of the histophysiology of these glands from their development to some pathological alterations. In order to cover some key mechanisms of their cell biology, such as the action of sex hormones, the epithelio-mesenchymal interactions, and the dynamic of the secretory process, reports on human organs have been supplemented by some studies on experimental animals. The outstanding level of the contributions and the quality of the illustrations make this book, which has been compiled by some of the world authorities on the topic, a work of reference for students, scientists, and professionals interested in biomedical foundations of andrology, as well as a stimulus for future research in this exciting and relatively neglected chapter of human reproduction.