Science Links Japan | Differential Localization of Inhibin .ALPHA.-, .BETA.A- and .BETA.B-subunits in the Testis of the Adult Swamp-type Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Differential Localization of Inhibin .ALPHA.-, .BETA.A- and .BETA.B-subunits in the Testis of the Adult Swamp-type Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Accession number;02A0266677

Title;Differential Localization of Inhibin .ALPHA.-, .BETA.A- and .BETA.B-subunits in the Testis of the Adult Swamp-type Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Author; CRUZANA M B C (Obihiro Univ. Agriculture And Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Jpn) BUDIPITOJO T (Obihiro Univ. Agriculture And Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Jpn) MATSUZAKI S (Genetics Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Jpn) DE OCAMPO G (Univ. Philippines At Los Banos, Laguna, Phl) WATANABE G (Tokyo Univ. Agriculture And Technol., Tokyo, Jpn) TAYA K (Tokyo Univ. Agriculture And Technol., Tokyo, Jpn) SASAKI M (Obihiro Univ. Agriculture And Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Jpn) KITAMURA N (Obihiro Univ. Agriculture And Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Jpn) YAMADA J (Obihiro Univ. Agriculture And Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Jpn)

Journal Title;Biomed Res

Journal Code:Z0236B

ISSN:0388-6107

VOL.22;NO.5;PAGE.235-239(2001)

Figure&Table&Reference;FIG.3, TBL.1, REF.20

Pub. Country;Japan

Language;English

Abstract;Inhibin and activin are dimeric proteins and differentiation factors that are mutually antagonistic regulators of reproduction. This study used immunohistochemistry to examine the differential localization of inhibin .ALPHA.-, .BETA.A-, and .BETA.B-subunits in the adult testis of swamp-type water buffalo. In the Sertoli cell, all the inhibin subunits were localized, however, inhibin .BETA.B-subunit was localized only in the nucleus. Leydig cells were observed to have a more intense staining for .ALPHA.- and .BETA.A-subunits but a weak immunoreactivity for inhibin .BETA.B-subunit, as compared with the Sertoli cells. In addition, in the terminal segment of the convoluted tubule, straight tubule and rete testis, only inhibin .BETA.A- and .BETA.B-subunits were detected in the epithelium. The result of the present study suggests that inhibin (.ALPHA..BETA.A,.ALPHA..BETA.B) and activin (.BETA.A.BETA.A,.BETA.A.BETA.B,.BETA.B.BETA.B) in the testis of the adult water buffalo play roles in the feedback regulation of FSH and as an autocrine and paracrine regulators of spermatogenesis. In Leydig cells, they are involved in regulators of steroidogenic enzyme activities and cell proliferation in the testis of water buffalo. Furthermore, the presence of .BETA.A- and .BETA.B-subunits in the epithelium of the terminal segment of the convoluted tubule, straight tubules and rete testis suggests that activin may play a role also in sperm maturation. Moreover, the intranuclear detection of .BETA.B-subunit in the testis Sertoli cells may suggest that this protein may have a direct intranuclear function during spermatogenesis. (author abst.)

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