title: Immunolocalization of inhibin/activin subunits in the shiba goat fetal, neonatal, and adult testes.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the cellular immunolocalization of inhibin alpha and inhibin/activin (betaA and betaB) subunits in the fetal, neonatal and adult testes of Shiba goats. The testes were obtained from a fetus at 90 days, a neonate at 15 days, and two adult Shiba goats (both of 3 years old). The sections of testes were immunostained by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method (ABC) using polyclonal antisera raised against porcine inhibin alpha, inhibin/activin betaA, and inhibin/activin betaB. Inhibin alpha and inhibin/activin (betaA and betaB) subunits were expressed in Leydig cells, but not in the Sertoli cells of the fetus with a weak immunostaining. An increase in the number of positive cells and a more intense immunohistochemical signal for inhibin alpha and inhibin/activin (betaA and betaB) subunits were observed in the Leydig cells of neonatal testes. Moreover, inhibin alpha, betaA, and betaB subunits were expressed in the Sertoli cells and Leydig cells of adult testes, respectively. These results suggest that Shiba goats testes have the ability to synthesize inhibins in the fetus, neonate, and adult, and the cellular localization of inhibin/activin subunits showed age-related changes in fetal, neonatal, and adult testes of Shiba goats.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Mohamed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Medan
authors.forename: LongQuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Koji Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taya
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins