小鼠睾丸发育全过程的组织学观察

为系统观察小鼠睾丸组织发育过程,将生后1～57d处于不同发育时期的17组昆明种正常小鼠睾丸组织制备石蜡切片、进行H.E染色分析。结果表明:小鼠生后初期睾丸曲细精管中只有支持细胞和原始生精细胞;至生后8d时出现B型精原细胞;15d时出现初级精母细胞;23d时出现次级精母细胞及少量圆形精子细胞,此后圆形精子细胞逐渐增多;30d时圆形精子细胞发生变态;36d时大量精子开始稳定出现于曲细精管管腔中,并延续至此后各期。这意味着小鼠生精细胞在出生后经过一个相对连续的发育分化过程,至生后约36d发育成熟。这为细化小鼠睾丸组织发育和精子发生过程提供了详细资料。     

绒山羊曲细精管生殖细胞的长期培养和精子发生过程的观察

哺乳动物精子发生过程是生殖生物学的重要研究课题之一.为了开展对山羊精子发生过程的研究,我们首次建立了绒山羊睾丸生殖细胞原代培养方法.原代生殖细胞和支持细胞(Sertolicells)由绒山羊睾丸曲细精管组织块产生,在体外共培养超过三个月.在共培养期间,观察到绒山羊的精原干细胞分化为精母细胞和精子细胞的形态变化过程.这一方法的建立为山羊精子发生过程的研究和应用打下了基础.实验结果显示,在没有添加任何生长因子的条件下,绒山羊睾丸生殖细胞长期增生分化,不断产生精子细胞.这一结果暗示了组织块和共生的支持细胞为生殖细胞的增生和分化提供了营养因子和调节因子.生成的游离精子细胞最后全部死亡,暗示这一共培养体系不能提供变态过程所需因子.     

花生凝集素受体在中华绒螯蟹生精细胞的分布

以中华绒螯蟹为材料,应用凝集素印迹法检测中华绒螯蟹生精细胞中的花生凝集素受体.以凝集素组织化学技术为手段,采用生物素标记的花生凝集素对中华绒螯蟹精子发生过程中花生凝集素受体进行了标记,研究精子发生过程中花生凝集素受体的分布特征.结果表明,中华绒螯蟹生精细胞中的花生凝集素受体的分子质量为72 ku;精子发生过程中,不同的生精细胞膜有不同程度的阳性标记.精原细胞质膜上有较强的阳性标记,呈深棕色;精母细胞的质膜阳性标记减少;精细胞与精母细胞染色程度相似.PNA受体在生精细胞中分布,可能与生殖细胞发育以及生殖细胞之间或者生殖细胞与体细胞之间的信息传递有关.精子质膜、顶体区域也有阳性标记,这可能与精卵识别及结合等受精过程息息相关.     

动物精子发生及成熟过程中凝集素受体的分布与变化

对各种动物精子发生与成熟过程中生精细胞表面凝集素受体的变化做了综述 .精子发生过程伴随着不同凝集素受体的出现和变化 ,这些受体是由生精细胞自身合成的 ;精子在成熟过程中 ,质膜凝集素受体的合成、修饰及分布会进一步发生变化 ,这些变化与精子获得与卵子进行识别、粘附、结合等受精能力密切相关 .     

AF-2364用于男性避孕的药效学及其作用机制

动物实验研究表明AF-2364是一种很有潜力的男性避孕药候选化合物.这一化合物通过干扰精子细胞与支持细胞间的黏附功能,可逆地诱导精母细胞以及精细胞从生精上皮丢失,但不影响精原细胞,从而导致给药大鼠不育.一旦药物代谢完成,精原细胞可重新开始精子发生,动物即可恢复生育能力.AF-2364能引起细胞骨架肌动蛋白的聚集和解聚,导致支持细胞与精子细胞间黏附功能降低,最后使未成熟精母细胞和精子细胞从生精上皮丢失.其机制可能是先激活整联蛋白/层粘连蛋白复合体及睾丸素,然后激活下游RhoB/ROCK/LIM激酶/肌动蛋白素或FAK/PI3激酶/p130Cas/MAP激酶通路.此外,AF-2364是一种较强的囊性纤维跨膜传导调节因子(CFTR)抑制剂,具有显著的抗生育作用,其作用可能是通过干扰CFTR通道活性,影响生殖道的体液微环境,从而影响精母细胞发育,精子细胞在附睾内成熟以及精子获能和顶体反应.探索AF-2364在男性生殖系统中作用的分子机制,对开发新一代男性避孕药具有重要意义.     

类固醇激素受体在扬子鳄睾丸表达的免疫细胞化学研究

用免疫细胞化学方法对雄激素受体(AR)、雌激素受体(ER)和孕激素受体(PR) 在扬子鳄睾丸中进行定位研究.结果表明,三种类固醇激素受体在扬子鳄睾丸中都有分布:雄激素受体在睾丸的肌样细胞和支持细胞中呈阳性反应,雌激素受体在睾丸的间质细胞中呈 阳性反应,孕激素受体在睾丸的生精细胞中呈阳性反应.推测结果表明,雄激素受体在扬子 鳄精子发生过程有重要作用;雌激素受体可能在扬子鳄睾丸发育过程中影响睾丸间质细胞雄性激素的分泌,进而调节生精过程和精子发育成熟,孕激素受体可能通过转换成AR和ER来对精子发生进行调节.这些结果为证明性类固醇激素参与调节扬子鳄性腺生殖内分泌调控提供了重要的形态学新证据.     

多肠目薄背涡虫生殖细胞发生的组织学研究

将薄背涡虫（Notoplana humilis）制成石蜡切片,通过光学显微镜观察其生殖细胞的发生过程．结果表明：薄背涡虫的精巢可划分为6个时相,每个时相的生精细胞组合图像不同,精子发生先后经历精原细胞、初级精母细胞、次级精母细胞、精细胞和精子;卵子发生先后经历卵黄发生前期的卵母细胞、卵黄发生期的卵母细胞、成熟的卵母细胞以及受精卵．对精子发生过程中各级生精细胞的特征以及卵子发生过程中各级卵细胞的特征进行了描述．     

大天鹅睾丸和附睾的组织结构及EGF,Bax,Bcl-2蛋白和iNOS的表达

为了解大天鹅(Cygnus cygnus)睾丸和附睾的组织结构特征及相关活性物质的表达情况,用生物显微技术观察了大天鹅睾丸和附睾的组织结构,用免疫组织化学方法检测了EGF,Bax蛋白,Bcl-2蛋白和iNOS在睾丸和附睾中的表达.结果表明,大天鹅睾丸内生精小管主要由支持细胞和各级生精细胞构成,众多生精小管被睾丸间质隔开;附睾由输出小管和附睾管组成;大天鹅睾丸生精小管直径、生殖细胞大小、附睾管直径及上皮厚度等与其他脊椎动物存在差异;EGF,Bax蛋白,Bcl-2蛋白在睾丸生精小管管周的肌样细胞、精原细胞、精母细胞、精子细胞、间质细胞和附睾管上皮细胞等处呈免疫反应阳性;iNOS在睾丸间质内的血管壁及间质细胞、附睾管上皮细胞、附睾结缔组织等处有阳性表达;EGF可能参与其精子发生、获能及激素生成的调控过程;Bax蛋白和Bcl-2蛋白可能共同参与调控正常大天鹅睾丸和附睾细胞的凋亡;iNOS可能也参与雄性大天鹅各种生殖活动的调节.     

RT-PCR法检测大鼠组织中GLUT8基因表达特异性

采用半定量RT_PCR技术检测青春前期和成年大鼠的主要组织中GLUT8基因mRNA表达水平.实验结果显示,葡萄糖转运蛋白GLUT8基因在成年和青春前期大鼠的睾丸组织中都有高度表达,在心脏和肾脏组织中有少量表达,在肝、脾等组织中的表达是微量的;在成年大鼠睾丸组织中,Leydig细胞、睾丸生精细胞以及附睾的精子细胞中GLUT8基因都有大量的表达,其中以在Leydig细胞中的表达最丰富,而且GLUT8基因在睾丸生精细胞中的表达水平高于附睾的精子细胞.结果说明GLUT8蛋白主要分布在大鼠睾丸组织中,并且主要在Leydig细胞和精子细胞中参与葡萄糖转运和能量代谢与供应.     

睾酮与雄激素受体在中国林蛙精巢中的免疫细胞化学定位

用免疫细胞化学方法检测了睾酮(T)和雄激素受体(AR)在中国林蛙生精周期中不同时期精巢内的表达定位.结果显示:在中国林蛙生精周期的Ⅰ～Ⅴ期,T和AR在精原细胞、精母细胞、精子细胞、精子、支持细胞和间质细胞内均有分布.在不同时期的精巢中,T和AR在生精细胞的定位具有一致性.在Ⅱ期,精子细胞内T阳性反应和AR阳性表达最强.在生精周期的Ⅰ～Ⅴ期,支持细胞内T的阳性反应强度无明显变化.在Ⅴ期,支持细胞内AR的阳性表达强度显著高于其他各期,而间质细胞内AR的阳性表达最弱.结果表明,T在中国林蛙精巢内细胞的分化和发育过程中的作用具有高度可变性,T调控中国林蛙精巢的功能和发育.     

Review: Actin-based dynamics during spermatogenesis and its significance

Actin can be found in all kinds of eukaryotic cells, maintaining their shapes and motilities, while its dynamics in sperm cells is understood less than their nonmuscle somatic cell counterparts. Spermatogenesis is a complicated process, resulting in the production of mature sperm from primordial germ cell. Significant structural and biochemical changes take place in the seminiferous epithelium of the adult testis during spermatogenesis. It was proved that all mammalian sperm contain actin, and that F-actin may play an important role during spermatogenesis, especially in nuclear shaping. Recently a new model for sperm head elongation based on the acrosome-acroplaxome-manchette complex has been proposed. In Drosophila, F-actin assembly is supposed to be very crucial during individualization. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the structure, function, and regulation characteristics of actin cytoskeleton, and a summary of the current status of research of actin-based structure and movement is also provided, with emphasis on the role of actins in sperm head shaping during spermiogenesis and the cell junction dynamics in the testis. Research of the Sertoli ectoplasmic specialization is in the spotlight, which is a testis-specific actin-based junction very important for the movement of germ cells across the epithelium. Study of the molecular architecture and the regulating mechanism of the Sertoli ectoplasmic specialization has become an intriguing field. All this may lead to a new strategy for male infertility and, at the same time, a novel idea may result in devising much safer contraception with high efficiency. It is hoped that the advances listed in this review would give developmental and morphological researchers a favorable investigating outline and could help to enlarge the view of new strategies and models for actin dynamics during spermatogenesis.     

北方山溪鲵精巢支持细胞的显微与超微结构观察

用光镜和电镜观察了山溪鲵精巢内支持细胞的显微和超微结构．结果表明，在精原细胞增生期，支持细胞间存在镶嵌连接，与精原细胞增生以及生精小囊的体积变大相适应；在精子形成期，支持细胞具有典型的类固醇激素分泌特征；精子成熟后，支持细胞退化．并对生精细胞和支持细胞的关系进行了讨论．     

Sperm from neonatal mammalian testes grafted in mice

Spermatogenesis is a productive and highly organized process that generates virtually unlimited numbers of sperm during adulthood. Continuous proliferation and differentiation of germ cells occur in a delicate balance with other testicular compartments, especially the supporting Sertoli cells. Many complex aspects of testis function in humans and large animals have remained elusive because of a lack of suitable in vitro or in vivo models. Germ cell transplantation has produced complete donor-derived spermatogenesis in rodents but not in other mammalian species. Production of sperm in grafted tissue from immature mammalian testes and across species has not yet been accomplished. Here we report the establishment of complete spermatogenesis by grafting testis tissue from newborn mice, pigs or goats into mouse hosts. This approach maintains structural integrity and provides the accessibility that is essential for studying and manipulating the function of testes and for preserving the male germ line. Our results indicate that this approach is applicable to diverse mammalian species.     

在单细胞水平建立原位PCR基因鉴别技术平台——以精子基因型鉴别为例

目的精子发生是一个包括有丝分裂和减数分裂的精细调控过程,这一过程是从精原干细胞开始在雄性睾丸的曲细精管中完成的,由哺乳动物雌雄性比例接近1∶1这一现象可以推知:受精时带X基因的精子和带Y基因的精子比率应该是1∶1,但事实上精子发生的过程中,分化出来的X、Y精子的比例是否也为1∶1并不清楚,因为精子发生过程中并不是所有细胞都能最终形成精子,然而要研究雌雄出生比率就需要先研究精子本身是否严格地按照1∶1形成,因此本实验通过建立快速可靠原位PCR技术平台为进一步研究精子发生的调控过程提供支持。步骤用HSL基因优化荧光原位PCR实验方案,包括蛋白酶K作用时间和浓度,原位PCR前先对精子进行解聚,再用SRY基因对精子进行原位PCR鉴定。结果在荧光显微镜下可清楚地看到精子头部的荧光信号,头部有绿色荧光信号的精子为带有SRY基因的Y染色体精子(Y精子),实验检测到昆明小鼠精子共493个,有信号的共273个,X∶Y=55.37%,经卡方检验,X精子与Y精子的实验结果趋近于1∶1。结论可利用荧光原位PCR技术在单细胞水平快速鉴定精子"性别",理论上可用于任何细胞的任何基因的鉴定。     

Tyro-3 family receptors are essential regulators of mammalian spermatogenesis

We have generated and analysed null mutations in the mouse genes encoding three structurally related receptors with tyrosine kinase activity: Tyro 3, Axl, and Mer. Mice lacking any single receptor, or any combination of two receptors, are viable and fertile, but male animals that lack all three receptors produce no mature sperm, owing to the progressive death of differentiating germ cells. This degenerative phenotype appears to result from a failure of the tropic support that is normally provided by Sertoli cells of the seminiferous tubules, whose function depends on testosterone and additional factors produced by Leydig cells. Tyro 3, Axl and Mer are all normally expressed by Sertoli cells during postnatal development, whereas their ligands, Gas6 and protein S, are produced by Leydig cells before sexual maturity, and by both Leydig and Sertoli cells thereafter. Here we show that the concerted activation of Tyro 3, Axl and Mer in Sertoli cells is critical to the role that these cells play as nurturers of developing germ cells. Additional observations indicate that these receptors may also be essential for the tropic maintenance of diverse cell types in the mature nervous, immune and reproductive systems.     

Germ cell transplantation in infertility mouse

This work investigated the spermatogenesis in an infertility BALB/c-nu mouse model by reinfusing germline stem cells into seminiferous tubules. Donor germ cells were isolated from male FVB/NJ-GFP trensgenic mice. Seminiferous tubule microinjection was applied to achieve intratubular germ cell transfer. The germ cells were injected into exposed testes of the infertility mice. We used green fluorescence and DNA analysis of donor cells from GFP transgenic mice as genetic marker. The natural mating and Southern blot methods were applied to analyze the effect of sperm cell transplantation and the sperm function after seminiferous tubule microinjection. The spermatogenesis was morphologically observed from the seminiferous tubules in 41/60 （68.33%） of the injected recipient mice using allogeneic donor cells. In the colonized testes, matured spermatozoa were seen in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. In this research, BALB/c-nu infertility mouse model, the recipient animal, was used to avoid immunological rejection of donor cells, and germ cell transplantation was applied to overcome infertility caused by busulfan treatment. These results demonstrate that this technique of germ cell transplantation is of great use. Germ cell transplantation could be potentially valuable to oncological patients.     

In vitro production of functional sperm in cultured neonatal mouse testes

Spermatogenesis is one of the most complex and longest processes of sequential cell proliferation and differentiation in the body, taking more than a month from spermatogonial stem cells, through meiosis, to sperm formation. The whole process, therefore, has never been reproduced in vitro in mammals, nor in any other species with a very few exceptions in some particular types of fish. Here we show that neonatal mouse testes which contain only gonocytes or primitive spermatogonia as germ cells can produce spermatids and sperm in vitro with serum-free culture media. Spermatogenesis was maintained over 2?months in tissue fragments positioned at the gas-liquid interphase. The obtained spermatids and sperm resulted in healthy and reproductively competent offspring through microinsemination. In addition, neonatal testis tissues were cryopreserved and, after thawing, showed complete spermatogenesis in vitro. Our organ culture method could be applicable through further refinements to a variety of mammalian species, which will serve as a platform for future clinical application as well as mechanistic understanding of spermatogenesis.