| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Regular Article |
a Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research, PF 601103, 10252 Berlin, Germany
b Department of Biochemistry, Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals, D-18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is a seasonal breeder. The cyclic changes between totally arrested and highly activated spermatogenesis offer an ideal model to study basic mechanisms of spermatogenesis. In this study, we demonstrated, to our knowledge for the first time, c-kit receptor-positive cells in the testis of roe deer. They were immunohistologically identified mainly as spermatogonia. Analysis of the amount of those cells by flow cytometry shows a distinct seasonal pattern, with pronounced differences between cells in the diploid state and in the G2/M phase of mitosis. The specific seasonal pattern of spermatogonial proliferation results in the increased relative abundance of spermatogonia as well as in their increased total number per testis in November and December. This suggests that cell divisions continue on a level sufficient to accumulate spermatogonia during winter. The serum concentrations of LH and FSH showed a peak in spring; testosterone showed a maximum concentration during the rut (July/August). The peak of both gonadotropins seems to precede the period of stimulated spermatogonial proliferation in spring. The testosterone peak coincides with maximal meiotic intensity in August. The results suggest the importance of testosterone for sperm production, and they provide a basis for detailed investigations of regulatory factors of the proliferation of spermatogonia.
1 Supported by grant BL 319/6-1 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
2 Correspondence: Hannelore Roelants, Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany. FAX: 0049 30 5 12 61 04;roelants{at}izw-berlin.de
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. Gomendio, A. F Malo, J. Garde, and E. R S Roldan Sperm traits and male fertility in natural populations Reproduction, July 1, 2007; 134(1): 19 - 29. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. Raucci and M. M. Di Fiore The c-kit receptor protein in the testis of green frog Rana esculenta: seasonal changes in relationship to testosterone titres and spermatogonial proliferation Reproduction, January 1, 2007; 133(1): 51 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F Raucci, S D'Aniello, and M M Di Fiore Endocrine roles of D-aspartic acid in the testis of lizard Podarcis s. sicula J. Endocrinol., December 1, 2005; 187(3): 347 - 359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wagener, J Fickel, J Schon, A Fritzenkotter, F Goritz, and S Blottner Seasonal variation in expression and localization of testicular transforming growth factors TGF-{beta}1 and TGF-{beta}3 corresponds with spermatogenic activity in roe deer J. Endocrinol., November 1, 2005; 187(2): 205 - 215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Hombach-Klonisch, J. Schon, A. Kehlen, S. Blottner, and T. Klonisch Seasonal Expression of INSL3 and Lgr8/Insl3 Receptor Transcripts Indicates Variable Differentiation of Leydig Cells in the Roe Deer Testis Biol Reprod, October 1, 2004; 71(4): 1079 - 1087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
