睾丸特异性丝/苏氨酸蛋白激酶家族研究进展

 睾丸特异性丝/苏氨酸蛋白激酶家族(testis specific serine/threonine kinase，TSSKs)，包括Tssk1, Tssk2，Tssk3，Tssk4 和Tssk6等5个成员，生物信息学分析表明它们隶属于人AMPK蛋白激酶家族，因其特异表达于精子和（或）睾丸组织而受到研究者的关注。本文对该家族成员的生物化学特性、组织细胞表达、定位及其基本功能等方面的研究进展作一综述。     

雏鸵鸟睾丸的结构及睾丸内神经肽Y的表达

采用光镜和电镜技术,观察雏鸵鸟睾丸的显微和超微结构;采用免疫组织化学方法对NPY在睾丸内的表达进行研究,探明NPY在睾丸内的表达规律.光镜下可见,雏鸵鸟睾丸表面有一层由坚韧的结缔组织构成的白膜,它向睾丸实质内形成的结缔组织不发达,不形成睾丸纵隔和睾丸小隔;雏鸵鸟的曲精小管直径为85～90 μm,生精上皮由支持细胞和1～2层生精细胞构成,此时精原细胞已开始分裂增殖,可见明显的分裂相,初级精母细胞数量少,体积大.电镜下可见,精原细胞胞质内有少量线粒体、游离核糖体和内质网;初级精母细胞富含线粒体、游离核糖体、内质网和溶酶体;支持细胞与精原细胞之间界限清晰,胞质内含较多游离核糖体,其他细胞器不发达;间质细胞的胞核形状不规则,内含较多脂滴.免疫组化显示,NPY在曲精小管周围、睾丸小血管周围、精母细胞和睾丸间质内均有表达,在睾丸小血管周围和精母细胞内表达量较高,而在曲精小管周围和睾丸间质内表达量较低.     

Histomorphometrical study of the testis in the desert Rodent,Gerbillus tarabuli,sexually immature and adult during the annual reproductive cycle

Our interest in the testicular study of the desert rodent, Gerbillus tarabuli, would provide a better comprehension of the seasonality of spermatogenesis in rodents. We thus performed a biometric, histomorphometric and statistical analyses in Gerbillus tarabuli sexually immature and adult during the annual reproductive cycle (active and regressed states of gonadal activity). For that, fixed testes were embedded in paraffin. Sections were stained using the modified Heidenhain Azan and then were subjected to morphometric measurements at the light microscopic level. The biometric study revealed a positive correlation between the body weight and the maturity state only, with an average of 20.8 ± 2.92 g in sexually immature Gerbils, 37.40 ± 1.86 g in the sexually quiescent adults (p < .01) and 40.40 ± 2.98 g in the sexually active adults (p > .05), while the testes weight (sexually immatures = 0.02 ± 0.003 g, sexually quiescent adults = 0.13 ± 0.01 g; p < .001 and sexually active adults = 0.27 ± 0.01 g; p < .001) and the gonadosomatic index (sexually immatures = 0.09 ± 0.02%, sexually quiescent adults = 0.36 ± 0.04%; p < .01 and sexually active adults = 0.68 ± 0.07%; p < .01) varied according to the maturity state and as well as to the season in the adults. Through the histomorphometric study, the tubular diameter showed a continuous increase from sexually immature Gerbils (72.83 ± 7.57 μm) to sexually quiescent adults (99.45 ± 4.34 μm) p < .05 then to sexually active adults (182.58 ± 5.22 μm); p < .001, this is explained by the appearance of a large lumen after puberty in the quiescent (26.32 ± 1.28 μm); p < .001 and the enlargement of the seminiferous epithelium in actives (75.11 ± 1.81 μm); p < .001. Besides, the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio of Leydig cells (sexually immatures = 0.5 ± 0.02) diminishes significantly after puberty in the rest period (0.42 ± 0.03); p < .05 and then during the active period (0.24 ± 0.01); p < .001. These striking biometric and morphometric differences in Gerbillus tarabuli testis between sexually immature Gerbils, sexually quiescent and active adults, follow the photoperiod-induced changes in endocrine and exocrine functions and prove that Gerbillus tarabuli is a useful model to study histo-physiological relationships in the testis in order to develop a more complete understanding of spermatogenesis phenomenon.     

Unilateral testicular mastocytoma in a Peruvian Paso stallion

A 12‐year‐old Peruvian Paso stallion was examined for scrotal swelling and unilateral testicular enlargement of 4–6 weeks duration. Physical examination and ultrasonography of the scrotum revealed an enlarged, nonpainful right testis with a well encapsulated mass at the cranial‐medial aspect containing echodense flocculent material. Unilateral castration was performed and the testis, spermatic cord and vaginal tunic were submitted for histological examination, which revealed a mastocytoma with accompanying evidence of malignancy. Short‐term follow‐up examination did not reveal any evidence of abdominal metastasis and the stallion has since successfully achieved pregnancy in a small number of mares. Although considered rare, mast cell neoplasia should be considered as a differential diagnosis when unilateral testicular enlargement is encountered.     

外源褪黑激素对昆明白鼠生长和繁殖性能的影响

研究外源褪黑激素(MT)对昆明白小鼠生长和繁殖性能的影响,为外源MT在畜牧生产上的应用提供依据。将40只昆明白小鼠(公、母各半)随机分成4组,用皮下埋植的方法埋植不同剂量(0、1、4、8mg)的外源MT,每3d称量1次小鼠的体重并记录;MT处理11周后,试验公鼠与正常母鼠交配,记录受精卵的数量;试验母鼠与正常公鼠交配,记录冲出卵的数量,14周后HE染色,制作睾丸和卵巢切片。在体重增长方面,外源MT对昆明白公鼠体重增长有促进作用,皮下埋植8mg组的促进作用显著(P<0.05);对昆明白母鼠体重增长有抑制作用,皮下埋植8mg组的抑制作用显著(P<0.05)。在繁殖性能方面,外源MT对昆明白鼠公鼠繁殖性能抑制作用显著,皮下埋植1mg和4mg组抑制作用显著(P<0.05),但皮下埋植外源MT8mg组和对照组间无统计学差异(P>0.05)。外源MT对昆明白鼠生长和繁殖性能有影响,并存在性别和剂量的依赖性。     

Spontaneous seminoma in medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Although spontaneous development of seminoma is rare in medaka, we encountered spontaneous testicular tumors located within the abdominal cavity in two adult medakas. The growth patterns of the tumors were a combination of solid and cord arrangements in one of the two cases (Case I) and lobular in the other case (Case II). The tumor cells resembled the cells at different stages of spermatogenesis, and a small number of oocyte-like cells were also scattered within the tumor. The tumor with solid and cord patterns showed loss of normal testicular architecture, and the tumor cells had partly invaded the dorsal muscular tissue and metastasized to the liver, kidney, and eye. The tumor with a lobular pattern did not exhibit local invasion or metastasis. The tumors were diagnosed as seminomas based on their histopathological characteristics, and the tumor in Case I was observed to be more malignant than that in Case II.     

Pathological Lesions in Lambs Fed Raw or Processed Cottonseed Meal

Thirty male lambs of 3–4 months of age, were assigned equally to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design and fed isonitrogenous and isocaloric concentrate mixtures containing 30% de-oiled peanut meal (DPNM) or 40% cottonseed meal, which was raw, cooked for 45 min or treated with either 1% calcium hydroxide or iron (1:3, free gossypol: Fe). The mixtures containing raw or variously processed CSM replaced about 50% of the nitrogen of the reference concentrate mixture. These concentrate mixtures were fed to meet 80% of the animals' crude protein requirements along with ad libitum feeding of maize (Zea mays) hay for 180 days. The free gossypol content of the raw cottonseed meal (0.27%) was reduced to 0.16%, 0.20% and 0.21% by the cooking, Ca(OH)₂ and iron treatments, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the tissues of various organs were fixed in 10% formol saline, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 4–5 m thickness, and duplicate sections were stained with either haematoxylin and eosin or Perl's Prussian blue. The lambs fed diets incorporating raw, cooked, Ca(OH)₂- or iron-treated cottonseed meal consumed respectively 302, 215, 250 and 222 mg free gossypol/day. No morbidity, mortality or gross lesions were observed in any organs and the histopathological lesions due to cottonseed meal were limited to the testes and epididymis. Spermatogonial cells were absent in the majority of the seminiferous tubules of testes from lambs fed raw cottonseed meal. Most seminiferous tubules were collapsed, with a reduced wall thickness, owing to there being fewer germ cell layers and vacuolation of the basal cells. The epithelium of the epididymal ductules was degenerated, desquamated to a variable degree with hyperplastic changes, and they were devoid of spermatozoa. Most lambs fed any of the processed cottonseed meals did not show any of these lesions, and such lesions as occurred in affected lambs in these groups were relatively mild. Iron pigments were deposited around the portal areas of the liver, the tip of intestinal villi and the spleen of lambs fed the iron-treated cottonseed meal diet. Cooking or treatment with 1% Ca(OH)₂ effectively minimized the toxic effects of free gossypol.     

连城白鸭睾丸生长发育规律的初步研究

为了更深入地了解连城白鸭睾丸生长发育规律。试验通过测定100、120、140、160、180、200、240和480日龄连城白鸭的睾丸长径、短径和重量等指标，比较分析连城白鸭各阶段睾丸重、睾丸体积和睾丸指数之间的关系，结果表明：连城白鸭100日龄至480日龄间的体重无显著差异，而100日龄至180日龄睾丸生长发育迅速，睾丸总重、睾丸总体积和睾丸指数迅速增长；180日龄至240日龄，睾丸生长发育相对减缓，睾丸总重、睾丸总体积和睾丸指数增长也相应减缓；240日龄后，睾丸的生长发育进入相对静止状态。表明了连城白鸭睾丸的生长发育较迟于体重的生长发育。