title: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its receptors GFRalpha-1 and GFRalpha-2 in the human testis.
abstract: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its receptors GFRalpha-1 and GFRalpha-2 were found in the human testis during fetal development (15-34 weeks of gestation) and in adult men (51-86 years of age) by means of RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques. Gene expression of GDNF could be established in the human testis and immunoreactivity (IR) for GDNF was detectable in Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, some spermatocytes and round spermatids as well as in smooth muscle cells of the wall of arterioles and small arteries. In the adult human testis, Sertoli and Leydig cells showed GFRalpha-1-IR, whereas GFRalpha-2-IR was located exclusively in Leydig cells. Different to man, in the rat GDNF-IR in Sertoli cells was detectable only until postnatal day10, providing evidence for species related variability in the expression of GDNF. These findings suggest a critical role for GDNF during the differentiation of testicular structures and provide evidence for an additional important function in the adult human and rodent testis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Hamburg, Germany. davidoff@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Davidoff
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Middendorff
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koeva
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pusch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jezek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005865:Gestational Age; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D013087:Spermatids / Q000737:chemistry; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C495039:GDNF protein, human; C494987:GFRA1 protein, human; C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; C494989:Gfra1 protein, rat; C494992:Gfra2 protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila