• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.435-445
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• 2004

The characteristics of the testis and the annual cycle of the seminiferous epithelium of the Miniopterus schreibersi fuliginosus were examined by optical microscopy. The testis weight and diameter of the seminiferous tubules were increased gradually from May to July, and the highest activity was observed in August. The size then decreased rapidly from October. Spermatogenesis began in May, peaked in August, and was suspended from October to April in the following year. Spermatocytogenesis were produced from May to July. Spermiogenesis occurred from August to September. In particular, immature spematogenic cells in the seminiferous tubules were engulfed by the phagocytosis of Sertoli cells in October. From November to April, the seminiferous tubuly contained only Sertoli cells and Ad spermatogonia. Therefore, the periodic changes in the seminiferous epithelium of M. S. fuliginosus suggest that a long hibernation is an adaptive strategy for the preservation of energy and the regulation of the breeding cycle.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.171-175
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• 2011

Malignant Sertoli cell tumor was diagnosed in a 5-year-old male Shih Tzu dog. Clinical features of the dog were anorexia, urinary incontinence, constipation, anemia, alopecia, and epistaxis. The dog also had unilateral cryptorchid testis in the abdomen. Several abdominal and thoracic masses were identified on radiography. Grossly, the cryptorchid testicular mass was markedly enlarged to 8 cm in diameter. On cut surface, firm and well demarcated milk-white neoplastic areas were irregularly separated by white fibrous bands. Histologically, the testicular mass was diagnosed as tubular pattern Sertoli cell tumor. In addition, abdominal and mediastinal lymph nodes metastasis were found. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were strongly positive for vimentin and neuron specific enolase, but negative for S-100 and cytokeratin.

• 한국동물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물학회 2001년도 공동 춘계학술대회
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• pp.98.2-98
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• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.508-517
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• 2023

In cancer patients, chemo/radio therapy may cause infertility by damaging the spermatogenesis affecting the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). In vitro differentiation of stem cells especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into germ cells has recently been proposed as a new strategy for infertility treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proliferation and differentiation of SSCs using their co-culture with Sertoli cells and conditioned medium (CM) from adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs). Testicular tissues were separated from 2-7 days old neonate Wistar Rats and after mechanical and enzymatic digestion, the SSCs and Sertoli cells were isolated and cultured in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, 1X antibiotic, basic fibroblast growth factor, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. The cells were treated with the CM from AD-MSCs for 12 days and then the expression level of differentiation-related genes were measured. Also, the expression level of two major spermatogenic markers of DAZL and DDX4 was calculated. Scp3, Dazl, and Prm1 were significantly increased after treatment compared to the control group, whereas no significant difference was observed in Stra8 expression. The immunocytochemistry images showed that DAZL and DDX4 were positive in experimental group comparing with control. Also, western blotting revealed that both DAZL and DDX4 had higher expression in the treated group than the control group, however, no significant difference was observed. In this study, we concluded that the CM obtained from AD-MSCs can be considered as a suitable biological material to induce the differentiation in SSCs.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제36권5호
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• pp.117-123
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• 2021

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of wogonin on the production of hydrogen peroxide in polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C)-stimulated TM4 mouse sertoli cells. Methods : TM4 were treated with poly I:C (50 ug/mL) and wogonin at concentrations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 µM for 30 min, 2 hr, 12 hr, 18 hr, and 24 hr. The production of intracellular hydrogen peroxide was measured by dihydrorhodamine 123 assay. Results : For 30 min, 2 hr, 12 hr, 18 hr, and 24 hr treatment, wogonin significantly inhibited intracellular hydrogen peroxide productions of TM4 at the concentration of 5, 10, 25, and 50 µM (p<0.05). In details, production of hydrogen peroxide in poly I:C-stimulated TM4 treated for 30 min with wogonin at concentrations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 µM was 95.67%, 92.69%, 92.05%, and 91.97% of the control group treated with poly I:C only, respectively; the production of hydrogen peroxide for 2 hr was 94.44%, 94.41%, 93%, and 92.98%, respectively; production of hydrogen peroxide for 12 hr was 96.78%, 95.32%, 94.33%, and 93.17%, respectively; production of hydrogen peroxide for 18 hr was 94.7%, 93.4%, 93.38%, and 93.35%, respectively; and production of hydrogen peroxide for 24 hr was 95.75%, 94.77%, 94.58%, and 92.8%, respectively. Conclusions : Wogonin might have anti-viral property related with its inhibition of intracellular hydrogen peroxide production in poly I:C-stimulated TM4 cells.

• The World Journal of Men's Health
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.215-226
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• 2023

Purpose To clarify (phospho-) glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) isoform variants in the germline and soma of human testes and spermatozoa. Materials and Methods GSK3 isoform variants in normospermatogenic and Sertoli cell-only (SCO) testicular biopsies and spermatozoa were examined. In normospermatogenic testes, GSK3α and GSK3β variants 1 and 2 different in low complexity region (LCR) were expressed and their levels were decreased in SCO testes. GSK3β variant 3 was only expressed in SCO testes. GSK3β as well as GSK3α, the dominant isoforms in testes were decreased in SCO testes. In normospermatogenic testes, GSK3β were found in spermatogonia and markedly decreased in meiotic germ cells in which GSK3α was dominant. p-GSK3α/β were marginal in spermatogonia and early spermatocytes. In SCO testes, GSK3α/β immunoreactivity in seminiferous epithelia was weaker than those of normospermatogenic testes whereas p-GSK3α/β(Ser) immunoreactivity was visibly increased in Sertoli cells. GSK3α was dominant in ejaculated spermatozoa in which GSK3α and p-GSK3α(Ser) were found in the head, midpiece, and tail. In acrosome-reacted spermatozoa, GSK3α was found in the equatorial region of head, midpiece, and tail, and p-GSK3α(Ser) was only found in midpiece. During sperm capacitation, p-GSK3α(Ser) was significantly increased together with phosphotyrosine proteins and motility. In human male germ cells, GSK3 isoforms different in LCRs switch from GSK3β to GSK3α during meiotic entry, suggesting the isoform-specific roles of GSK3α and GSK3β in meiosis and stemness or proliferation of spermatogonia, respectively. In dormant Sertoli cells of SCO testes kinase activity of GSK3 might be downregulated via inhibitory phosphorylation. In spermatozoa, inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3α might be coupled with activation of motility during capacitation.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.291-299
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• 2023

Background: Leydig cells, crucial for testosterone production, express ion channels like ANO1 that influence hormone secretion. This study investigates the expression and role of the Tandem of P domains in a weak inward rectifying K⁺ channel-related Acid-Sensitive K⁺-1 (TASK-1) channel in these cells, exploring its impact on testicular function and steroidogenesis. Methods: TASK-1 expression in Leydig cells was confirmed using immunostaining, while RT-PCR and Western Blot (WB) validated its expression in the TM3 Leydig cell line. The effect of a TASK-1 channel blocker on cell viability was assessed through live/dead staining and MTT assays. Additionally, the blocker's effect on testosterone secretion was evaluated by measuring testosterone levels. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a predominant presence of TASK-1, along with c-Kit and ANO-1, in Leydig cells adjacent to seminiferous tubules and also in Sertoli and spermatogenic cells. Expression levels of TASK-1 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in TM3 Leydig cells compared to TM4 Sertoli cells. In addition, blocking TASK-1 in TM3 cells with ML365 induced cell death but did not affect LH-induced testosterone secretion. Conclusions: These findings suggest that TASK-1 in Leydig cells is crucial for their viability and proliferation, highlighting its potential importance in testicular physiology.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2000

생쥐 정소에서 밀착결합단백질의 일종인 zonular occludens-1 (ZO-1)의 발현을 조사하였다. RT-PCR결과 ZO-1의 2가지 isoform인 ZO-1$\alpha$＋, ZO-1$\alpha$-의 발현을 확인하였다. 생쥐 신생 및 성체의 정소에서 분자량 225 및 2001 KDa의 2종의 ZO-1의 단백질항원의 발현을 확인되어 RT-PCR의 결과와 일치하였다. ZO-l$\alpha$＋에 대한 ZO-l$\alpha$-의 상대적 발현량은 성숙에 따라 증가하였다. 2종의 ZO-1항원을 동시에 인식하는 항체를 사용한 면역염색을 통해 세정관 외곽의 Sertoli세포 사이의 접촉부위 및 Sertoli 세포와 생식세포 접촉부위에서 ZO-1의 존재를 확인하였다. ZO-1은 세정관내 세포들 사이의 결합부위 및 세포질에서 공통적으로 발현되지만 성숙에 따라 Sertoli 세포의 결합부위에서 강한 신호가 검출되었다. 2종의 ZO-1 항원의 상대적 발현량의 변화 및 세정관 외곽의 분포의 강화는 기능적 혈액정소장벽의 출현 및 정자형성의 진행과 관련된 것으로 사료된다.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.205-212
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• 2008

6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN)의 햄스터 정소에 미치는 영향을 확인하기 위해 실험군에는 체중 kg 당 10 mg의 6-AN을, 대조군에는 동량의 생리식염수를 격일로 복강 투여한 후 정소의 변화를 광학 및 투과전자현미경을 이용하여 관찰하였다. 최초 6-AN 투여 당시의 체중에 비해 7회 투여군부터 유의하게 체중이 감소하였으며, 정소 중량의 감소는 5회 투여시 크게 감소하여 이후 비슷한 양상을 보였다. 정세관상피의 퇴행변화는 5회 투여군부터 나타나기 시작하여 9회 투여군부터는 대부분의 정세관이 심하게 손상을 받은 것으로 나타났다. 손상을 받은 정세관에서 정세관상피를 이루는 정자발생세포 및 지지세포 모두 심한 공포화에 따른 세포의 파괴를 뚜렷하게 관찰할 수 있었으며, 다핵거대세포가 출현하였다. 사이질조직의 부종은 관찰할 수 없었으며, 사이질세포 역시 비교적 온전하게 보존되어 있었다. 따라서 6-AN은 햄스터 정소에서 정자발생세포, 지지세포 등에는 영향을 미치나 사이질세포에는 영향을 주지 않는 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.387-396
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• 2005

The aims of the study were to establish a short-term screening test for detecting testicular toxicity of chemicals in rats and to determine whether a 2-week administration period is sufficient to detect testicular toxicity of 2-bromopropane (2-BP) as an example. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously administered with 1000 mg/kg/day of 2-BP or its vehicle for 2 weeks. Ten male rats each were sacrificed on days 3, 7 and 14 after the initiation of treatment. Parameters of testicular toxicity included genital organ weights, testicular sperm head counts, epididymal sperm counts, motility and morphology, and qualitative and quantitative histopathologic examinations. The early histopathological changes observed on day 3 of treatment included degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, multinuclear giant cells, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V. On day 7 of treatment, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, exfoliation of germ cells, degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, multinuclear giant cells, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V, and decreased number of spermatocytes in stages VII and XII. On day 14 after treatment, a significant decrease in the weights of testes and seminal vesicles was found. Atrophy of seminiferous tubules, exfoliation of germ cells, degeneration of spermatogonia and spermatocytes, mature spermatid retention, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, decreased number of spermatogonia in stages II and V, and decreased number of spermatocytes in all spermatogenic stages were also observed. In addition, a slight non-significant decrease in testicular sperm head counts, daily sperm production rate and epididymal sperm counts was found. The results showed that 2 weeks of treatment is sufficient to detect the adverse effects of 2-BP on male reproductive organs. It is considered that the short-term testicular toxicity study established in this study can be a useful tool for screening the testicular toxic potential of new drug candidates in rats.