title: Oxytocin in Leydig cells: an immunocytochemical study of Percoll-purified cells from rat testes.
abstract: Testicular interstitial cells, from rats aged 35 days, were dispersed with collagenase and separated through Percoll into 5 fractions (I-V); fraction I being the least dense. Measurement of basal testosterone production, histo-enzymological staining for 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity and electron microscopy indicated that the majority of Leydig cells were found in fraction IV (corresponding to a density of 1.076-1.097 g/ml). In addition, cells from this fraction responded to hCG treatment in a dose-dependent manner on day 0 and remained responsive after being cultured for 1 day. Immunostaining for oxytocin indicated that this fraction also contained the majority of the oxytocin-immunoreactive cells. On day 1 of culture, 56% of the cell population from fraction IV were positively stained for the steroidogenic enzyme and 75% immunoreactive for oxytocin. This overlap indicates that the Leydig cells were also the oxytocin immunoreactive cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Medical School, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Guldenaar
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Worley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humphrys
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Pickering
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000032:analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D010121:Oxytocin; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases