The effect of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) deprivation, or hyperthyroidism, on the expression of selected genes in Sertoli cells of neonatal rats was compared, and significant differences were revealed. While hyperthyroidism resulted in both arrest of proliferation and expression of differentiation markers, FSH deprivation only resulted in arrest of proliferation, as assessed by a decreas...

This review focuses on the expression and function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), alpha1-adrenoceptors and relaxin receptors in the male reproductive tract. The localization and differential expression of mAChR and alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes in specific compartments of the efferent ductules, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate of various species indicate a ...

This study was designed to characterize muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in primary cultured Sertoli cells from 30-d-old rats. RT-PCR was performed, and five PCR products corresponding to m1-m5 mAChR mRNA subtypes were detected in these cells. Ribonuclease protection assay further confirmed the presence of protected products for m1, m2, m3, and m4 mAChR transcripts. Radioligand bindi...

Androgen receptor-interacting protein 4 (ARIP4) belongs to the SNF2 family of proteins involved in chromatin remodeling, DNA excision repair, and homologous recombination. It is a DNA-dependent ATPase, binds to DNA and mononucleosomes, and interacts with androgen receptor (AR) and modulates AR-dependent transactivation. We have examined in this study the expression and cellular localization of ...

The Rel/nuclear factor (NF)-kB family of transcription factors are important intracellular conveyors of extracellular signals in a number of systems. However, little is known of their roles in the specialized, hormonally regulated environment of the mammalian testis. In this study NF-kB p50 and p65 proteins were found to be constitutively present and active in the nucleus of Sertoli cells cultu...

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a complex biological process that occurs within a highly organized tissue, the seminiferous epithelium. The coordinated maturation of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids suggests the existence of precise programs of gene expression in these cells and in their neighboring somatic Sertoli cells. The objective of this study was to identify the genes that execu...