Immunohistochemical demonstration of cytoskeletal proteins in the ovine testis during postnatal development

Abstract

The distribution pattern of actin, desmin, vimentin and tubulin in the ovine testis during postnatal development was investigated by means of immunohistochemical methods. The postnatal development of the ovine testis can be divided into five phases. Phases I through III represent the prepubertal period, phase IV puberty and phase V the postpubertal adult stage. In peritubular cells alpha-smooth muscle actin is present, its amount increasing with advancing age of the animals. Structural F-actin is localized in peritubular myoid cells and Sertoli cells, of the adult testis. In Sertoli cells structural F-actin-positive material is observed at the level of the Sertoli-Sertoli junctions, at contact sites of Sertoli cells with primary spermatocytes and in the immediate vicinity of elongating spermatid heads during the acrosome phase of spermiogenesis. Desmin is present in intertubular and peritubular cells during the early prepubertal period, but vanishes completely as soon as the animals reach puberty. Vimentin is present in the cytoplasm of prespermatogonia I, but disappears when these change into prespermatogonia II. In prepubertal supporting cells the vimentin content increases, and in the adult the positive filament bundles create a flame-like pattern around the unstained nucleus. Cyclical variations during the seminiferous epithelial cycle are not observed. Expression of alpha-tubulin is found in the cytoplasm of prespermatogonia I and to a lesser extent in prespermatogonia II and spermatogonia. The immunoreaction is also seen in the microtubules of the axonema and manchette of elongating spermatids. The histochemical demonstration of the high alpha-tubulin concentration in supporting and Sertoli cells is an excellent method for studying changes of cellular shape and size during ontogenesis as well as during the seminiferous epithelial cycle.

Development of strips of ovine testes after xenografting under the skin of mice and co-transplantation of exogenous spermatogonia with grafts

“…Testicular volume was calculated using the formula of Steger & Wrobel (1994). The xenograft recipients were adult T-and B-celldeficient RAG-1 null mice (B6.12957-RagltmlMom) that had been crossed to Tie2lacZ mice (FVB/N-TgN(TIE2-lacZ)182-Sato; Fathers et al 2005) to incorporate the lacZ transgene, and were kindly provided by Dr Brenda Coomber.…”

Postnatal Developmental Changes in Immunohistochemical Localization of .ALPHA.-Smooth Muscle Actin (SMA) and Vimentin in Bovine Testes

“…As a specific marker of smooth muscle differentiation [2], seminiferous peritubular α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) has been detected in the first few postnatal days in the rat testis [3,4] and in the early postnatal ovine testis [5]. Increasing patterns of α-SMA in the ovine testis [5] and changes in the actin filament arrangement in the rat testis [6] during p o s t n a t a l d e v e l o p m e n t h a v e s u g g e s t e d a relationship for SMA with testicular development and functions. However, no postnatal localization patterns or possible functional relationships for SMA in the bovine testis have been reported so far.…”

“…During pubertal processes, mammalian Sertoli cells undergo transformation [12,13] that is likely related to cytoskeletal changes [11,14]. Increases in Sertoli cell vimentin in the prepubertal ovine testis [5] and changes of its distribution area during postnatal development in rats [11] have indicated vimentin activity during postnatal development. Although perinuclear localization of vimentin has been demonstrated in the pre-Sertoli and adult Sertoli cells of the bovine testis [10,15], its distribution and role during pubertal development are not yet understood.…”

“…Sertoli cells posses a highly organized cytoskeleton, and vimentin, the most common intermediate filament [7,8], is located around the nucleus and provides it with structural support [5,[9][10][11]. During pubertal processes, mammalian Sertoli cells undergo transformation [12,13] that is likely related to cytoskeletal changes [11,14].…”

The cytoskeletal proteins in the contractile tissues of the testis and its excurrent ducts of the passerine bird, Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

“…The mechanisms involved in, and controlling, contractile forces that propel testicular fluid and its sperm content from the testis into and through the excurrent ducts have received recent attention in mammals (Achtstätter et al, 1985;Banks et al, 2006;Dinges et al, 1991;Hargrove et al, 1977;Holstein and Weiss, 1967;Kasper and Stosiek, 1989;Maekawa et al, 1996;Miettinen et al, 1983;Ramaekers et al, 1985;Wakui et al, 1994;Wrobel et al, 1988;Steger and Wrobel, 1994). It has been established that hydrostatic pressure alone is not sufficient for the outflow of testicular fluid into and through the excurrent ducts, but that the testicular capsule and peritubular boundary tissue, comprising myoid or smooth muscle cells, play an important role in this regard (Banks et al, 2006;Hargrove et al, 1977;Middendorff et al, 2002).…”