PMID- 11596006
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20020111
LR  - 20190116
IS  - 0003-276X (Print)
IS  - 0003-276X (Linking)
VI  - 264
IP  - 3
DP  - 2001 Nov 1
TI  - Developmental regulation of connexin 43 expression in fetal mouse testicular 
      cells.
PG  - 237-46
AB  - Multiple connexins have been identified in testicular cells. Several lines of 
      evidences indicate that, among them, connexin 43 (Cx43) may be unique for control 
      of gonad development and spermatogenesis. To date, however, it is not known 
      whether Cx43 is expressed in the fetal testis and what possible types of cellular 
      interactions mediated by this connexin are critical to male fertility. In the 
      present work, expression of Cx43 was investigated at various developmental ages 
      in cryosections from mouse testis by using specific antibodies against Cx43. In 
      serial or double-labeled sections, Cx43 localization was compared with 
      immunocytochemical distribution of steroidogenic enzyme, 3beta-hydroxysteroid 
      dehydrogenase (3betaHSD), Mullerian inhibitory hormone (MIH), and germinal 
      nuclear cell antigen (GCNA1), which are specific markers, respectively, of 
      interstitial Leydig, Sertoli, and germinal cells. Sections were analyzed by 
      fluorescence microscopy. We found that Cx43 immunofluorescence (IF) was uniformly 
      distributed in the undifferentiated gonad at 11.5 days post coitus (dpc) and in 
      cells of the mesonephric tubules. In the undifferentiated gonad, Cx43 was 
      localized between primordial germ cells and somatic cells. At 12.5 dpc, when the 
      gonad has undergone sexual differentiation, in the interstitium Cx43 was 
      localized in Leydig cells and in the seminiferous cord it was localized between 
      adjacent Sertoli cells. In Leydig and Sertoli cells, Cx43 labeling increased at 
      14.5, 16.5, and 18.5 dpc. From day 12.5 up to 18.5 dpc, Cx43 was also localized 
      in cell borders between germinal and Sertoli cells. In conclusion, this study 
      demonstrates that from the earliest stages of gonadal development, Cx43 is 
      expressed in the principal cell types that participate in the control of male 
      fertility. It also shows that Cx43 expression in Leydig and Sertoli cells 
      increase during fetal life. Finally, it provides evidence that, throughout 
      embryonic life, Cx43 forms gap junctions between Sertoli and germinal cells.
CI  - Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
FAU - Perez-Armendariz, E M
AU  - Perez-Armendariz EM
AD  - Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas, 
      Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D. F., 04510. 
      eperez@servidor.unam.mx
FAU - Lamoyi, E
AU  - Lamoyi E
FAU - Mason, J I
AU  - Mason JI
FAU - Cisneros-Armas, D
AU  - Cisneros-Armas D
FAU - Luu-The, V
AU  - Luu-The V
FAU - Bravo Moreno, J F
AU  - Bravo Moreno JF
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - United States
TA  - Anat Rec
JT  - The Anatomical record
JID - 0370540
RN  - 0 (Connexin 43)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Connexin 43/analysis/*metabolism
MH  - Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
MH  - Germ Cells/metabolism
MH  - Immunohistochemistry
MH  - Male
MH  - Mice
MH  - Sertoli Cells/metabolism
MH  - Testis/*embryology/metabolism
EDAT- 2001/10/12 10:00
MHDA- 2002/01/12 10:01
CRDT- 2001/10/12 10:00
PHST- 2001/10/12 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2002/01/12 10:01 [medline]
PHST- 2001/10/12 10:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1002/ar.1164 [pii]
AID - 10.1002/ar.1164 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Anat Rec. 2001 Nov 1;264(3):237-46. doi: 10.1002/ar.1164.