• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.66-71
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• 2007

There have been no definitive preoperative diagnostic imaging studies for impalpable testes. We observed the effectiveness of laparoscopy for detecting impalpable testes not identified with ultrasonography (USG) or careful physical examination under general anesthesia. We retrospectively reviewed 117 patients (118 testes) who were operated upon for undescended testes from January 1998 to December 2004. The testes of these patients were palpable in 97(82 %) and impalpable in 21 (18 %). We analyzed the preoperative diagnostic method, site of the testes, operative method and operative findings of the 21 impalpable testes. Preoperative USG and physical examination under general anesthesia were performed on 20 patients, and 12 patients' testes could be localized. Eight patients whose testes could not be localized with USG and physical examination underwent laparoscopy. Seven of the 8 patients had testes in inguinal canal and 4 of these were atrophied and underwent orchiectomy because of atrophy (2) and vanishing (2). Only 1 patient had bilateral intraabdominal testes and one of the testes was atrophied. Laparoscopy was a useful method for detecting impalpable testes, but the clinical application might be limited because the location of atrophic or vanishing testes was mainly inferior to internal inguinal ring.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 1998

To investigate the involvement of protein kinase C(PKC) isoenzyme in the testes which control spermatogenesis and hormone secretion, we examined cellular distribution of four types of PKC $\alpha$, ${\beta}I$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ in the horse testes using PKC antisera by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. By the western blot analysis, PKC $\alpha$ and ${\beta}I$ were detected at 82KD, while PKC ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ were detected at 80KD in the testes of both juvenile and adult horses. In juvenile horse, PKC $\alpha$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$ except ${\beta}I$ were not detected in the cells of the testes, whereas PKC ${\beta}I$ was immunoreacted with only in spermatocytes. In adult, PKC $\alpha$, ${\beta}I$, ${\delta}$ and ${\theta}$isoenzymes were localized in interstitial cells of the testes. In the seminiferous tubules, PKC ${\beta}I$ is localized in spermatocyte, spermatid and spermatozoa, while PKC ${\delta}$ is localized only in spermatids. We suggest that this is a first report to localize PKC in the testes of horse and PKC isoenzymes are upregulated in the cells of horse testes depending on ages. These findings also suggest that certain PKC isoenzyme plays an important role in the signal transduction of spermatogenic cells and interstitial cells in horse testes.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 1999

We analyzed our experience with orchidopexy for undescended testicle performed during recent 10 years in order to evaluate our results and to determine the most effective treatment of undecended testes. Between 1988 and 1997, we treated 420 undescended tested (314 palpable and 106 nonpalpable) in 356 boys. Medical records were reviewed with respect to age at presentation, the surgical approach, testicular location, testicular volume and the final outcome. The average patient age at presentation was 4.1 years with 40.2 % presenting before age 2 years. Of 106 nonpalpable testes, 23 testes were intra-abdominal, 32 were preperitoneal and 51 were absent. During the first 5 years, we performed orchidopexy through 31 inguinal and 13 midline transabdominal incisions for 44 paitents with nonpalpable testes. In the next 5 years, all 47 patients with nonpalpable were treated through inguinal incisions. For the nonpalpable testes, the inguinal approach with or without intraperitoneal extension was successful in defining the location of testes and blind-ending vessels in all patients. Laparoscopy did not help to avoid surgical exploration in all our patients with nonpalpable tests. Of 339 inguinal and midline tranabdominal orchidopexies without spermatic vessels ligations, 324 testes were placed in the scrotum, 4 in the upper scrotum and 3 in the inguinal area. Eight testes underwent atrophy. Of 13 Fowler-Stephens orchidopexies, 7 were placed in the scrotum and 6 became atrophied. Testicular growths were noticed in most patients who underwent orchidopexies and the colume of pexed testes became as large as the contralateral normal testes by the mean duration of 43.3 months postoperatively. In conclusion, orchidopexies were successful in most cases of cryptochidism in terms of testicular position and growth. However, there were more testicular atrophies in cases where spermatic vessels were ligated. In cases of nonpalpable undescended testes, the inguinal approach with or without intraperitoneal extesion would be recommended.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.76-83
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• 1992

Effect of freeze drying leek against cadmium poisoning on glutathione peroxidase, on glutathione reductase and on glutathione-s-transferase in liver, kidney and testes of the male rats during the administered period. In this experiment, male rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were used. The rats which were fed for 15 weeks were divided into 4 groups basal diet 3% leek added diet basal diet and cadmium in water and 3% leek added diet and cadmium in water. Cadmium was administered ad libitum 100ppm CdCl$_{2}$ in distilled water. The followings are the result of this experiment. 1. Leek enhanced the glutathione peroxidase activities which were reduced by cadmium treatment in liver, kidney and testes but not significance. 2. Leek reduced glutathione reductase activities which were incresed by cadmium in liver, kidney and testes. 3. Leek incresed the activities of glutathfone-s-transferase in liver but not in kidney and but not in testes. 4. Leek incresed glutathione concentration which was decresed by cadmium treatment in liver and kidney but not testes. This experiment showed that leek-addition group had protective effect against cadmium poisoning and alleviated GR and glutathione-s-transferase activities in tissues. Leek incresed activities of glutathione peroxidase in liver, kidney and testes but not significance. Therefore, this experiment concluded that leek defensive power against long term cadmium poisoning.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.251-255
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• 1998

Rat testis known to contain all of the enzymes required for carnitine biosynthesis also contains high concentration of calmodulin, a protein which may or may not contain trimethyllysine, the major substrate in carnitine biosynthesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of carnitine and the state of calmodulin N-methylation in rat testes, and to discuss the possibility of the involvement of calmodulin incarnitine biosynthesis. Nonesterified carnitine , acid soluble acyl carnitine, and acid insoluble acyl carnitine of ra tests were 273 nmole, 62nmole, and 4 nmole/g tissue, respectively. Total carnitine level was 339 nmole/g testes tissue. Calmodulin purified from rat tests was assayed for methylation potential using N-methyltransferase from the rat testes. Rat testes calmodulin showed no 3H-methyl incorporation indicating that the calmodulin was trimethylated already by endogenous calmodulin N-methyltransferase. Amino acid composition analysis revealed that the rat testes calmodulin containd one mole of trimethyllysine per mole of calmodulin. These data suggest that testes calmodulin could provide the trimethyllysine needed for the synthesis of carnitine in the rat tests.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.292-298
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• 2021

Olfactory receptors (OR) are primarily responsible for the detection of odorant molecules. We previously demonstrated that OR7D4, an OR for androstenone, is expressed in the vomeronasal organ and olfactory epithelium tissue of stallions. Recently, the expression of OR1I1 in the human testes was reported and the possible roles of OR1I1 in the testicular cells were suggested. The objectives of this study were 1) to explore the expression of OR7D4 and OR1I1 in stallion testes, and 2) to define the specific localization of OR7D4 and OR1I1 in the testicular tissues. Stallion testicular tissue samples were used for this study. Western blot was performed to confirm the cross-reactivity of OR7D4 and OR1I1 antibody with stallion testicular tissue samples. OR7D4 and OR1I1 gene expressions were investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in stallion testes. Immunofluorescence was performed to investigate the expression of OR7D4 and OR1I1 in stallion testicular tissues. The protein bands for OR7D4 and OR1I1 from the testes were observed at approximately 38 kDa and 43 kDa, respectively. The mRNA of OR7D4 and OR1I1 were detected in stallion testes. Immunolabeling of OR7D4 and OR1I1 in the cytoplasm of both spermatogonia and Leydig cells was observed. In conclusion, androstenone and another odorant chemical, which is recognized by OR1I1, may play an important role in stallion testes.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1993

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of gossypol injection spermatogenesis of mice. Gossypol was injected into the stroma of testes(TS) and the doses of gossypol injected were 5, 10 and 15mg per kg of body weights, respectively. The number of sperm and the weight of testes were gradually reduced(P<0.01) from 2 to 4 weeks after gossypol treatment in all groups of mice treated with gossypol, compared with the control group. The rates of malformation(loss of proacrosome, damage of midpiece and breaking of tail) of sperm were significantly(P<0.01) increased at 2 and 3 weeks after the injection of 10 or 15mg of gossypol. However, the weight of testes and the number of normal sperm were gradually increased and the malformation rate of sperm was decreased between 4 and 6 weeks after injection of 5mg of gossypol. The results of this experiment indicated that probably ireeversible suppression of spermatogenesis could be brought about easily and immediately by the single injection of gossypol into TS.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2021

The Syrian (golden) hamsters are seasonal breeders whose reproductive functions are active in summer and inactive in winter. In experimental facility mimicking winter climate, short photoperiod (SP) induces gonadal regression. The blood-testis barrier (BTB) of the sexually involuted animals have been reported to be permeable, allowing developing germ cells to be engulfed or sloughed off the epithelium of the seminiferous tubules. The expressions of genes related to the tight junction composing of BTB were investigated in the reproductive active and inactive testes. Claudin-11, occludin, and junctional adhesion molecule (JAM) were definitely expressed in the active testes but not discernably detected in the inactive testes. And spermatozoa (sperm) were observed in the whole lengths of epididymides in the active testes. They were witnessed in only cauda region of the epididymides but not in caput and corpus regions in animals with the inactive testes. The results imply that the disorganization of BTB is associated with the testicular regression. The developing germ cells are swallowed into the Sertoli cells or travel into the lumen, as supported by the presence of the sperm delayed in the last region of the epididymis. These outcomes suggest that both apoptosis and desquamation are the processes that eliminate the germ cells during the regressing stage in the Syrian hamsters.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.59-69
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• 2022

Many efforts have been made to study the expression of aquaporins (AQP) in the mammalian reproductive system, but there are not enough data available regarding their localized expression to fully understand their specific roles in male reproduction. The present study investigated the expression and localization patterns of different AQP subtypes in the adult mouse testes and testicular spermatozoa using an immunofluorescence assay. All the studied AQPs were expressed in the testes and revealed subtype-specific patterns in the intensity and localization depending on the cell types of the testes. AQP7 was the most abundant and intensive AQP subtype in the seminiferous tubules, expressing in Leydig cells and Sertoli cells as well as all stages of germ cells, especially the spermatids and testicular spermatozoa. The expression pattern of AQP3 was similar to that of AQP7, but with higher expression in the basal and lower adluminal compartments rather than the upper adluminalcompartment. AQP8 expression was limited to the spermatogonia and Leydig cells whereas AQP9 expression was exclusive to tails of the testicular spermatozoa and elongated spermatids. Taken together, the abundance and distribution of the AQPs across the different cell types in the testes indicating to their relavance in spermatogenesis, as well as in sperm maturation, transition, and function.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.195-195
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• 2004

To discover germ cell-specific transcripts, we prepared a cDNA library from adult testes of 35-day old mice and subtracted it with mRNA from the testes of juvenile mice. Real-time RT-PCR analysis indicated that 42 cDNA clones in the subtracted library were expressed more intensely in the adult testes than in the juvenile testes. One clone identified by subtraction is expressed preferentially in the late spermatid and is located on chromosome 17E3 in mouse and 2p22 in human. (omitted)