title: The expression pattern of the glucose transporter GLUT-5 in the testis during the spermatogenic cycle of the vespertilionid bat Scotophilus heathi.
abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate the localization and rate of expression of GLUT-5 protein during the spermatogenic cycle of Scotophilus heathi and to determine whether the expression of testicular GLUT-5 was under androgenic control. This study showed localization of GLUT-5 mainly in the spermatogonia, spermatids, spermatozoa and Leydig cells of the testis in S. heathi. Western blot analysis showed marked variation in the rate of expression of GLUT-5 protein in the testis during the reproductive cycle, in which peak expression of GLUT-5 in the testis coincided with the period of peak spermatogenesis and mating. Treatment with flutamide (an anti-androgen) caused a dose-dependent decrease in the expression of GLUT-5 protein in the testis that suggested that the expression of GLUT-5 was under androgenic control. We propose that GLUT-5 plays an important role in the transport into spermatozoa of the fuel that is required for prolonged storage in the female genital tract in S. heathi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796 004, India.
authors.forename: Vikas Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Amitabh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005485:Flutamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005485:Flutamide
keywords: Androgen; Bat; GLUT-5; Sperm; Testis