Immunodetection of cell adhesion molecules in rat Sertoli cell cultures.
OBJECTIVE
The presence of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in Sertoli cells has not been explored extensively. The expression of CAMs involved in cell-matrix and cell-to-cell interactions in Sertoli cell cultures was examined.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical and Western blot techniques were applied to rat Sertoli cell cultures using specific antibodies to alpha 3, alpha 5, and alpha 6 integrin subunits; NCAM; and cadherins.


RESULTS
Expression of alpha 3 and alpha 6 integrin subunits (mainly laminin receptors) and lack of expression of alpha 5 integrin subunit (fibronectin receptor) was observed in Sertoli cells by immunohistochemistry. These cells also expressed neural CAM (NCAM) and N-cadherin. By Western blot analysis, Sertoli cell extracts reacted with antibodies to alpha 3 integrin subunit revealed a band approximately 130 kDa, whereas no expression of alpha 5 integrin subunit was detected. Cell extracts incubated with antibodies to pan cadherin exhibited a band approximately 120 kDa, whereas bands of 180, 140, and 120 kDa were observed with antibodies to NCAM.


CONCLUSIONS
New data about the expression of receptors for extracellular matrix proteins (alpha 3 and alpha 6 integrin subunits) as well as cell-to-cell adhesion molecules (NCAM and cadherins) are reported in rat Sertoli cell cultures.
Lustig
L
L
Centro de Investigaciones en Reproducción, Facultad de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Meroni
S
S
Cigorraga
S
S
Casanova
M B
MB
Vianello
S E
SE
Denduchis
B
B
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039422:Integrin alpha3; D039482:Integrin alpha5; D039503:Integrin alpha6; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D039422:Integrin alpha3; D039482:Integrin alpha5; D039503:Integrin alpha6; D016023:Integrins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules