Differential Expression of c-kit in Mouse Undifferentiated and Differentiating Type A Spermatogonia
| Autor: | Bianca H. G. J. Schrans-Stassen, A. M. M. Van Pelt, H. J. G. van de Kant, Dirk G. de Rooij |
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| Rok vydání: | 1999 |
| Předmět: |
Male
endocrine system Cell type Cellular differentiation Gene Expression In situ hybridization Biology Mice Endocrinology Precursor cell Gene expression medicine Animals In Situ Hybridization reproductive and urinary physiology Messenger RNA Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Vitamin A Deficiency urogenital system Cell Differentiation Immunohistochemistry Molecular biology Spermatogonia Epithelium Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit Haematopoiesis medicine.anatomical_structure |
| Zdroj: | Endocrinology. 140:5894-5900 |
| ISSN: | 1945-7170 0013-7227 |
| DOI: | 10.1210/endo.140.12.7172 |
| Popis: | The proto-oncogene c-kit is encoded at the white-spotting locus and in the mouse mutations at this locus affect the precursor cells of melanocytes, hematopoietic cells, and germ cells. c-kit is expressed in type A spermatogonia, but whether or not c-kit is present both in undifferentiated and differentiating type A spermatogonia or only in the latter cell type is still a matter of debate. Using the vitamin A-deficient mouse model, we studied messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression in undifferentiated and differentiating type A spermatogonia. Furthermore, we quantified the immuno-positive type A spermatogonia in the epithelial stages VI, VII, IX/X, and XII in normal mice to correlate c-kit expression in type A spermatogonia with the differentiation of these cells. Our results show that in the VAD situation undifferentiated type A spermatogonia express little c-kit mRNA. The A spermatogonia with a larger nucleus expressed c-Kit protein, whereas the A spermatogonia with a smaller one did not. After induction of differentiation of these cells into type A1 spermatogonia, c-kit mRNA was enhanced. The percentage of A spermatogonia expressing c-Kit protein did not change during this process, suggesting that A spermatogonia, which are committed to differentiate express c-kit. Under normal circumstances in epithelial stage VI 16%+/-2% (mean +/- SD), in VII 45%+/-15%, in IX/X 78%+/-14% and in XII 90%+/-1.9% of the type A spermatogonia were c-kit positive, suggesting that Aaligned spermatogonia gradually change from c-Kit negative to c-Kit positive cells before their differentiation into A1 spermatogonia. It is concluded that c-kit can be used as a marker for differentiation of undifferentiated into differentiating type A spermatogonia. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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