A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Stage-specific cellular regulation of inhibin alpha-subunit mRNA expression in the rat seminiferous epithelium




AuthorsKaipia A, Parvinen M, Shimasaki S, Ling N, Toppari J

Publication year1991

JournalMolecular and Cellular Endocrinology

Journal name in sourceMolecular and cellular endocrinology

Journal acronymMol Cell Endocrinol

Volume82

Issue2-3

First page 165

Last page73

Number of pages9

ISSN0303-7207

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/0303-7207(91)90028-Q


Abstract
To find out the local regulation of inhibin production and its possible paracrine role in the seminiferous epithelium, inhibin alpha mRNA levels were measured in sequential 1 mm segments of rat seminiferous tubules accurately staged by transillumination technique. Highest levels were found at stages XIV-I-IV of the cycle, and lowest at stages VI-VIIb of the cycle. When dividing spermatogonia were selectively destroyed by 3 Gy of high-energy X-irradiation, stage-specific inhibin alpha mRNA levels remained unchanged until 26 and 38 days after irradiation when stages VII and VIII of the cycle showed 6- and 4-fold increases during a selective reduction of pachytene spermatocyte and round spermatid numbers, respectively. The results suggest that these cells at a strictly stage-specific fashion have a paracrine inhibitory effect on Sertoli cell inhibin alpha gene expression. Inhibin alpha mRNA level also correlates closely to the follicle-stimulating hormone-stimulated cAMP production during the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, but does not seem to have a correlation to spermatogonial DNA synthesis.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 21:22