The effect of fetal decapitation on the testis and other endocrine organs in the pig.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Colenbrander.
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Serum testosterone concentrations were elevated between 40 and 60 days p.c. but were low between 60 and 100 days p.c. when the testis descends. Elevated concentrations occurred in the perinatal period and from the 18th week after birth. Between 60 days p.c. and 16 weeks after birth the changes in serum testosterone concentrations parallel those of testicular development, as determined by morphology and steroid histochemistry, and peripheral LH concentrations.
The effect of fetal decapitation on gubernacular development and testicular descent was studied in the pig. Gubernacular development was unaffected and testicular descent occurred normally in decapitated fetuses. Neither testicular descent nor gubernacular development could be induced by HCG or LH-RH, administered to naturally unilateral cryptorchid prepuberal pigs in doses comparable to those used in human therapy. Gubernacular development and, subsequently, testicular descent seem to be independent of gonadotrophic stimulation.
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The aim of this study was to investigate whether the dog sperm acrosome reaction can be induced by progesterone and whether the action of progesterone is mediated by binding of progesterone to a receptor on the sperm plasma. Progesterone-BSA conjugate labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (P-BSA-FITC) in combination with a vital stain, ethidium homodimer, was applied to visualize the presence of the progesterone receptor on living spermatozoa. Ten mM progesterone increased the acrosome reaction in viable spermatozoa over time from 3 +/- 1% at 0 hours to 69 +/- 8% at 6 hours (six dogs). In freshly ejaculated sperm from six dogs, P-BSA-FITC staining was observed in 13 +/- 1% of the viable, acrosome-intact cells, as characterized by bright fluorescence over the entire apical region. The proportion of P-BSA-FITC-stained, viable, acrosome-intact cells increased to 84 +/- 11% following 7 hours incubation in a low-calcium medium. In contrast, the majority (72 +/- 3%) of fresh epididymal sperm already demonstrated bright P-BSA-FITC staining. Apparently, epididymal spermatozoa already possess the progesterone receptor. The receptor is masked at ejaculation and subsequently gradually exposed.
Peanut agglutinin (PNA) was used to assess the sperm acrosomal status and the acrosome reaction during gamete interaction in the equine species. PNA exclusively binds to the outer acrosomal membrane of stallion spermatozoa, as was established by transmission electron microscopy. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-PNA (FITC-PNA) labeling was used to monitor sperm acrosomal changes during a prolonged incubation period of 24 hours and during a 2-hours incubation in the presence of 5 microM calcium ionophore A23187. In addition, after a 4-hours preincubation in SP-TALP medium, sperm samples were incubated with matching hemizonae for 1 minute (onset binding) followed by a 60-minute incubation (1-hour binding) of the sperm-hemizona complexes in sperm-free medium to assess the acrosomal status of the bound spermatozoa. For acrosome assessment, spermatozoa and washed sperm-hemizona complexes were air dried onto microscope slides, fixed, permeabilized in ethanol, stained with FITC-PNA, and counterstained with the DNA dye ethidium homodimer. Both zona-bound and non-bound spermatozoa showed similar staining patterns. Acrosome-intact spermatozoa displayed intensively green fluorescence over the acrosomal cap, whereas reacting spermatozoa showed a patchy disrupted image of fluorescence. Sperm cells that completed the acrosome reaction were principally stained on the equatorial segment or not stained at all. During prolonged incubation and during the calcium ionophore treatment, the proportion of spermatozoa with an acrosomal modification (reacting) and a complete breakdown of the acrosome (reacted) increased noticeably. Significant induction of the acrosome reaction was observed within 60 minutes of sperm-zona contact (P < 0.001). In conclusion, a rapid and reliable assessment of the acrosomal status and the incidence of the acrosome reaction of stallion spermatozoa at the zona surface were demonstrated in this study.