Proliferation and apoptosis of spermatogonia in postpuberal boar (Sus domesticus) testes with spontaneous unilateral and bilateral abdominal cryptorchidism.
Cryptorchidism is a frequent male sexual disorder in mammals, which affects the histology of the tunica propria, interstitial tissue, blood vessels, seminiferous epithelium and testis functioning. In this paper, proliferation and apoptosis were examined in the seminiferous epithelium of both testes from unaffected boars and from boars suffering unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism. In germ cells, proliferation was studied using the immunohistochemical PCNA technique, and apoptosis was analysed by in situ TUNEL labelling. An index was obtained for the proliferation and apoptosis observed in seminiferous tubules. In abdominal testes the epithelium contained few spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. In the testes of unaffected boars, numerous spermatogonia proliferated, whereas in cryptorchid testes such proliferation was lower and the proliferation/apoptosis ratio diminished. In the unaffected group, the TUNEL-positive germ cells were spermatogonia and spermatocytes in different phases of meiosis. In abdominal testes, the TUNEL-positive germ cells were spermatogonia alone. The apoptosis index of both abdominal and scrotal testes was similar. In conclusion, spontaneous cryptorchid testes showed a lower rate of spermatogonia proliferation in the seminiferous epithelium.
Bernal-Mañas
Carmen M
CM
Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
Morales
Eva
E
Pastor
Luis M
LM
Pinart
Elisabet
E
Bonet
Sergi
S
Rosa
Pedro de la
Pde L
Dolors Briz
M
M
Zuasti
Adelina
A
Ferrer
Concepción
C
Canteras
Manuel
M
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D012670:Seminiferous Epithelium / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen