title: Effect of experimental varicocele on the expressions of Notch 1, 2, and 3 in rat testes: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study expressions of Notch receptor isoforms (Notch 1, 2, and 3) in normal and varicocele-induced rat testes to examine their possible functions in cell fate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative and controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal Care and Operation Unit, Akdeniz University.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar male rats for experimental and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The control group underwent a sham operation (n = 6). The experimental groups underwent partial ligation of the renal vein to induce an experimental varicocele and then were killed 9 (n = 6), 11 (n = 6), and 13 (n = 6) weeks after the induction of varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  All tissues were fixed and routinely processed for paraffin embedding. Subsequent immunohistochemical studies were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the sham-operation rat testes, Leydig cells and elongated spermatids were immunopositive for Notch 1. Notch-2 expression was present in Leydig cells, spermatogonia, and primary spermatocytes. Notch-3 expression was limited to Leydig cells. Varicocele formation diminished the expression of both Notch-1 and Notch-2 receptors as the varicocele formation progressed over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that Notch 1 is related to the maturation of spermatids. Notch 2 is related to both proliferation and maturation of spermatogenic cells, whereas Notch 3 seems to be related to Leydig cell functions. The decrease of both Notch-1 and Notch-2 expression depended on the degree of varicocele development over time, indicating a potential role in varicocele-associated testicular dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeliha
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Zubeyde
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: Ciler
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celik-Ozenci
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akkoyunlu
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seval
authors.forename: Tibet
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erdogru
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ustunel
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baykara
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D051883:Receptor, Notch2; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497763:Notch1 protein, rat; C497766:Notch2 protein, rat; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D051883:Receptor, Notch2; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors