Apoptosis and spermatogenesis: evidence from an in vivo model of testosterone withdrawal in the adult rat.
The seminiferous epithelium is a highly proliferating tissue in which germ cell "degeneration" is a constant feature. Recent data based on morphological analysis have shown that spontaneously dying germ cells display some characteristics of apoptosis. In order to evaluate the molecular signals controlling the phenomenon, adult male rats were studied after in vivo treatment with ethane dimethane sulphonate, an agent which leads to testosterone withdrawal by a selective destruction of Leydig cells. DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis and cell DNA content by flow cytometry after propidium iodide staining were used to evaluate and quantify apoptosis in the testis. Despite the simultaneous presence of cells with different ploidies, the present data suggest that testosterone withdrawal induces death by apoptosis and that this phenomenon is particularly evident in haploid germ cells. Thus, this study support the involvement of testosterone in regulating programmed cell death, beside cell proliferation and differentiation, during spermatogenesis.
Troiano
L
L
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena, Italy.
Fustini
M F
MF
Lovato
E
E
Frasoldati
A
A
Malorni
W
W
Capri
M
M
Grassilli
E
E
Marrama
P
P
Franceschi
C
C
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008698:Mesylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013739:Testosterone
D008698:Mesylates; D013739:Testosterone; C002994:ethylene dimethanesulfonate