TY  - EJOU
AU  - Potashnik, Hadas 
AU  - Elhija, Mahmoud Abu 
AU  - Lunenfeld, Eitan 
AU  - Potashnik, Gad 
AU  - Schlatt, Stefan 
AU  - Nieschlag, Eberhard 
AU  - Huleihel, Mahmoud 

TI  - Interleukin-6 expression during normal maturation of the mouse testis
T2  - European Cytokine Network

PY  - 2005
VL  - 16
IS  - 2
SN  - 1952-4005

AB  - In this study, we examined the cellular origin and the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6)
during normal maturation of mouse testis. The levels of IL-6 (protein and mRNA) were higher in testicular
homogenates of sexually immature than mature mice. Immunohistochemical staining of testicular tissues of
sexually immature and adult mice show that testicular germ cells, at different stages of differentiation, Leydig
cells/interstitial cells and peritubular cells express IL-6. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, overexpression
of IL-6 in testicular tissues of immature mice, as compared to mature mice, as well as the expression of IL-6 in
germ cells of testicular tissues of adult and sexually immature mice. Thus, our results may indicate the
involvement of the endocrine system (gonadotropins and testosterone) in the regulation of IL-6, which is involved
in the regulation of testicular development, functions and spermatogenesis.
KW  - interleukin-6
KW  -  Sertoli cells
KW  -  Leydig cells
KW  -  germ cells
KW  -  testis
KW  -  LPS

DO  -