title: The role of the c-kit receptor in the regenerative differentiation of rat Leydig cells.
abstract: To determine the physiological role of the c-kit receptor, which is highly expressed in Leydig cells, the regenerative differentiation of Leydig cells was studied following transient degeneration induced by ethane dimethyl sulphonate (EDS) in c-kit-deficient mutant rats (Ws/Ws). EDS caused the destruction of Leydig cells; their functional recovery was evaluated by the weight change of the target organs of androgens, which occurred at the same rate in Ws/Ws and wild-type rats. These results indicate that the tyrosine kinase activity of the c-kit receptor does not play an essential role in the regenerative differentiation of Leydig cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Laboratory Animal Experimentation, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsuchida
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dohmae
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Yoshitake
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimune
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008698:Mesylates; D009154:Mutation; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D008698:Mesylates; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; C002994:ethylene dimethanesulfonate