PMID- 10859256
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20000824
LR  - 20190513
IS  - 0006-3363 (Print)
IS  - 0006-3363 (Linking)
VI  - 63
IP  - 1
DP  - 2000 Jul
TI  - Studies on the onset of Leydig precursor cell differentiation in the prepubertal 
      rat testis.
PG  - 165-71
AB  - Leydig cells of the adult rat testis differentiate postnatally from 
      spindle-shaped cells in the testis interstitium during the neonatal-prepubertal 
      period. Which spindle-shaped cell types are the precursor for Leydig cells and 
      the stimulus for initiation of their differentiation are, however, two unresolved 
      issues. In the present study, our objectives were to identify unequivocally which 
      spindle-shaped cells are the precursors to Leydig cells and to test whether the 
      initiation of their differentiation into Leydig cells depends on LH. Testes from 
      fifteen groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 4 per group) from 7-21 days of age 
      were fixed in Bouin solution and embedded in paraffin. Immunoexpression of 
      3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD), cytochrome P450 side-chain 
      cleavage (P450(scc)), 17alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 (P450(c17)), and LH 
      receptors (LHR) in interstitial cells (other than fetal Leydig cells) was 
      observed using the avidin biotin method. Of all spindle-shaped cell types in the 
      testis interstitium, only the peritubular mesenchymal cells showed positive 
      immunolabeling for all three steroidogenic enzymes, beginning from the 11th 
      postnatal day. All three enzymes were expressed simultaneously in these cells, 
      and their numbers increased significantly thereafter. Immunoexpression of LHR in 
      a few of these cells was just evident for the first time on postnatal Day 12 
      (i.e., after acquiring the steroidogenic enzyme activity). Their numbers 
      gradually increased with time. The number of immunolabeled cells per 1000 
      interstitial cells (excluding fetal Leydig cells and capillary endothelial cells) 
      was not significantly different for the three steroidogenic enzymes tested at all 
      ages; however, a lower value was observed for LHR at each time-point. Based on 
      these observations, we suggest that 1) the precursor cell type for the adult 
      generation of Leydig cells in the postnatal rat testis is the peritubular 
      mesenchymal cells, 2) precursor cells acquire 3beta-HSD, P450(scc), and P450(c17) 
      enzyme activity simultaneously during Leydig cell differentiation, and 3) onset 
      of precursor cell differentiation during Leydig cell development does not depend 
      on LH.
FAU - Siril Ariyaratne, H B
AU  - Siril Ariyaratne HB
AD  - Department of Animal Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of 
      Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
FAU - Chamindrani Mendis-Handagama, S
AU  - Chamindrani Mendis-Handagama S
FAU - Buchanan Hales, D
AU  - Buchanan Hales D
FAU - Ian Mason, J
AU  - Ian Mason J
LA  - eng
GR  - HD27571/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States
GR  - HD35544/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
PL  - United States
TA  - Biol Reprod
JT  - Biology of reproduction
JID - 0207224
RN  - 0 (Receptors, LH)
RN  - EC 1.1.- (3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases)
RN  - EC 1.14.14.19 (Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase)
RN  - EC 1.14.15.6 (Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme)
SB  - IM
MH  - 3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases/immunology/metabolism
MH  - Animals
MH  - Animals, Newborn
MH  - Cell Differentiation/*physiology
MH  - Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme/immunology/metabolism
MH  - Female
MH  - Leydig Cells/*cytology/physiology
MH  - Male
MH  - Rats
MH  - Rats, Sprague-Dawley
MH  - Receptors, LH/immunology/metabolism
MH  - Sexual Maturation/*physiology
MH  - Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase/immunology/metabolism
EDAT- 2000/06/22 10:00
MHDA- 2000/08/29 11:01
CRDT- 2000/06/22 10:00
PHST- 2000/06/22 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2000/08/29 11:01 [medline]
PHST- 2000/06/22 10:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1095/biolreprod63.1.165 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Biol Reprod. 2000 Jul;63(1):165-71. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod63.1.165.