Abstract
Aging of the mammalian testis is often accompanied by loss of germ cells and, as a result, decreased daily sperm production. It is currently unknown whether cell loss is the result of aging-related changes in germ cells or whether there are also aging-related changes in the Sertoli cells that normally support germ development and differentiation. To begin to compare the effects of age on germ cells and on Sertoli cells, we examined brown Norway rats of 6, 12, 18, 21, and 24 months of age for the frequency of seminiferous tubule regression and total testis contents of transcripts for three Sertoli cell products: SGP-2, transferrin, and cyclic protein-2 (CP- 2)/cathepsin L. Histological analysis revealed no changes in the seminiferous epithelium from 6 to 12 months of age. However, from 12 to 24 months of age, the percentage of normal tubules gradually decreased from 95% to 15% of the total while the percentage of fully regressed tubules (containing no germ cells per tubule cross section) increased from 0% to 78%. In our analysis of specific Sertoli cell transcripts, we noted no change in total testis content of SGP-2 mRNA from 6 to 24 months. However, total testis content of transferrin mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 18 months, but increased by 24 months to 368% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. In contrast, total testis content of CP-2/cathepsin L mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 12 months, but decreased by 24 months to 58% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. We conclude that aging-related loss of spermatogenic cells in the brown Norway rat is accompanied by specific changes in expression of particular Sertoli cell transcripts.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 110-117 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Andrology |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1993 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- gene expression
- rat
- Sertoli cells
- spermatogenesis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
Cite this
The effect of aging on the seminiferous epithelium of the brown Norway rat. / Wright, William W; Fiore, C.; Zirkin, Barry R.
In: Journal of Andrology, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1993, p. 110-117.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of aging on the seminiferous epithelium of the brown Norway rat
AU - Wright, William W
AU - Fiore, C.
AU - Zirkin, Barry R
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - Aging of the mammalian testis is often accompanied by loss of germ cells and, as a result, decreased daily sperm production. It is currently unknown whether cell loss is the result of aging-related changes in germ cells or whether there are also aging-related changes in the Sertoli cells that normally support germ development and differentiation. To begin to compare the effects of age on germ cells and on Sertoli cells, we examined brown Norway rats of 6, 12, 18, 21, and 24 months of age for the frequency of seminiferous tubule regression and total testis contents of transcripts for three Sertoli cell products: SGP-2, transferrin, and cyclic protein-2 (CP- 2)/cathepsin L. Histological analysis revealed no changes in the seminiferous epithelium from 6 to 12 months of age. However, from 12 to 24 months of age, the percentage of normal tubules gradually decreased from 95% to 15% of the total while the percentage of fully regressed tubules (containing no germ cells per tubule cross section) increased from 0% to 78%. In our analysis of specific Sertoli cell transcripts, we noted no change in total testis content of SGP-2 mRNA from 6 to 24 months. However, total testis content of transferrin mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 18 months, but increased by 24 months to 368% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. In contrast, total testis content of CP-2/cathepsin L mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 12 months, but decreased by 24 months to 58% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. We conclude that aging-related loss of spermatogenic cells in the brown Norway rat is accompanied by specific changes in expression of particular Sertoli cell transcripts.
AB - Aging of the mammalian testis is often accompanied by loss of germ cells and, as a result, decreased daily sperm production. It is currently unknown whether cell loss is the result of aging-related changes in germ cells or whether there are also aging-related changes in the Sertoli cells that normally support germ development and differentiation. To begin to compare the effects of age on germ cells and on Sertoli cells, we examined brown Norway rats of 6, 12, 18, 21, and 24 months of age for the frequency of seminiferous tubule regression and total testis contents of transcripts for three Sertoli cell products: SGP-2, transferrin, and cyclic protein-2 (CP- 2)/cathepsin L. Histological analysis revealed no changes in the seminiferous epithelium from 6 to 12 months of age. However, from 12 to 24 months of age, the percentage of normal tubules gradually decreased from 95% to 15% of the total while the percentage of fully regressed tubules (containing no germ cells per tubule cross section) increased from 0% to 78%. In our analysis of specific Sertoli cell transcripts, we noted no change in total testis content of SGP-2 mRNA from 6 to 24 months. However, total testis content of transferrin mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 18 months, but increased by 24 months to 368% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. In contrast, total testis content of CP-2/cathepsin L mRNA was unchanged from 6 to 12 months, but decreased by 24 months to 58% of the content of a 6-month-old testis. We conclude that aging-related loss of spermatogenic cells in the brown Norway rat is accompanied by specific changes in expression of particular Sertoli cell transcripts.
KW - Aging
KW - gene expression
KW - rat
KW - Sertoli cells
KW - spermatogenesis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027254752&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027254752&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 8514616
AN - SCOPUS:0027254752
VL - 14
SP - 110
EP - 117
JO - Journal of Andrology
JF - Journal of Andrology
SN - 0196-3635
IS - 2
ER -