Hes1 dimer inhibitor, agalloside (2), which can accelerate the differentiation of neural stem cells was isolated by using Hes1-immobilized beads.

Cyanophosphates (CPs) can be easily prepared from either ketones or aldehydes, and their reaction with NaN-EtN·HCl results in the formation of azidotetrazoles. Under microwave irradiation, successive fragmentation of the azidotetrazoles generates alkylidene carbenes that undergo [1,2]-rearrangement and are transformed into homologous alkynes. Treatment of ketone-derived CPs with TMSN and BuSnO as catalyst in toluene at reflux directly yields the corresponding internal alkynes, whereas the reaction of aldehyde-derived CPs with NaN-EtN·HCl in THF at reflux or TMSN-BuSnO (cat.) in toluene at reflux provides homologous terminal alkynes in good yields. These reactions take place under neutral conditions and can be successfully extended to obtain alkynes that are not usually accessible from the corresponding carbonyl compounds by the Ohira-Bestmann or Shioiri procedures, which require basic conditions.

Abstract. Prolactin (PRL) has long been known to be a hormone responsible for mammary gland development and lactation in females, whereas its role in males is still unclear. Thus, we investigated male mouse (m) PRL protein and mRNA expression in spermatozoa at various differentiation stages in the testes. Quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization detected the expression of PRL not only in Leydig cells but also in germ cells, in particular in spermatogonia. The nucleotide sequence of testis PRL mRNA was the same as that in the pituitary. The mPRL was detected in Leydig cells and in round and elongated spermatids of the testes by immunohistochemistry. Immunoblotting detected 2 forms of mPRL in the testes, one form was 23-kDa PRL, and the other form was smaller than full-length PRL. Based on these results, we focused on N-terminal cleaved PRL to determine its involvement in spermatogenesis. Immunohistochemistry using two sets of antibodies, one that recognized full-length PRL and Nterminal cleaved PRL and another that recognized full-length PRL and C-terminal cleaved PRL, suggested that intact PRL was localized in the nucleus of round spermatids, while N-terminal cleaved PRL variants were localized in the Golgi apparatus of the sperrmatid nuclei of round spermatids, cytoplasms of elongated spermatids and in the spermatozoa tails. These findings suggest that PRL is ectopically expressed in the spermiogenesis and spermatogenesis and that cleaved PRL variants were localized in the Golgi apparatus of spermatids and in spermatozoa tails. Key words: Ectopic expression, Mouse, Prolactin, Testis (J. Reprod. Dev. 56: [567][568][569][570][571][572][573][574] 2010) he various functions of prolactin (PRL) in vertebrates include the growth and differentiation of the mammary epithelium, lactation in mammals, osmoregulation and parental behavior in teleosts, amphibian development, broodiness in hens, crop sac production in pigeons and immunoregulation [1].Moreover, many studies generally suggest that PRL positively modulates testicular functions in several ways, as follows: PRL is involved in the upregulation of LH receptor on Leydig cells [2,3], in the increase in FSH receptors in Sertoli cells [4], and in the meiosis of germ cells [5]. In contrast, none of the parameters or functions of the male reproductive organs are affected in PRL knockout (KO) or PRL receptor (PRLR) KO mice [6,7]. Thus, the exact role of PRL in the regulation of testicular function is still unclear. It is unknown why the lack of PRL signaling in PRLR KO and PRL KO mice affects the reproductive function of the male mouse in such a way that the expected results are marginal compared with those obtained in hypophysectomized or PRL deficient hereditary dwarf mice or even absent. Perhaps normal or near-normal reproductive function in PRLR KO and PRL KO animals is due to compensatory mechanisms and/or alternate signaling pathw a y s ( e . g . , gr o w t h h or m o n e) t ha t a r e a b s e n t i n b o t h hypophysectomized animals and hereditary dwarf mic...

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