STRUCTURE OF A SEMINIFEROUS TUBULE
The seminiferous tubules are made up by the germinal epithelial cell, forming three layers.
The innermost layer is of germinal epithelium and the remaining cells are as follows:
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Cuboidal germ cells: also known as spermatogonia located on the basement of the membrane
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Large polyhedral cells: also called as Primary spermatocytes
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Secondary spermatocytes
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Small polyhedral cells: known as spermatids
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Spermatozoa
There are two types of cells produced in the germinal epithelium: sperm producing cells and sertoli cells.
Here sperm producing cells form sperms and the sertoli cells provide the nourishment (nutrients) to the sperms.
The cells of tubules attached to sertoli cells and provide the support to the basement membrane, which forms tight junctions known as blood testis barrier.
This blood testis barrier prevents the passage of proteins and large molecular weighted substances from interstitium to the lumen.
Between the seminiferous tubules, there are a large number of polyhedral cells located in the connective tissue, known as interstitial cells of Leydig that contains yellow pigments.
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IMAGE REFERENCE: http://legacy.owensboro.kctcs.edu/gcaplan/anat2/notes/seminiferous_tubule.jpg
