CARLOS ALBERTO-SILVA^1,*, ANA CAROLINA DE ARAUJO¹, RODRIGO SIMãO BONFIM¹, JOYCE MEIRE GILIO²

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.2, pp. 289-295, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.023787

Abstract Bothrops envenomation is complex and provokes prominent local tissue damage and systemic disturbances, but little is known about their effects on the male reproductive system. After intratesticular injection, the bioactive peptide fraction (Bj-PF) obtained from Bothrops jararaca snake venom changes the structure of different stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle in adult mice. For the first time, we investigated whether local envenomation of Bj-PF induces toxicological effects on the male reproductive system, particularly on the seminiferous epithelium and Sertoli cells. Male adult mice were treated with 0.24 mg.kg⁻¹ by intramuscular (i.m.) injection for 24 h. The testes samples were collected… More >

JUAN CARLOS CAVICCHIA^1*, MABEL FÓSCOLO¹ , JORGE IBAÑEZ¹, CHRISTOPHER LILLIG², FRANCISCO CAPANI³

BIOCELL, Vol.35, No.3, pp. 81-90, 2011, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2011.35.081

Abstract Junctional devices in Sertoli cells conform the blood-testis barrier and play a key role in maturation and differentiation of germ cells. The spacial distribution of ectoplasmic specializations of Sertoli cells was studied by β-actin immunolabelling, using laser confocal and transmission electron microscopy. For confocal microscopy, β-actin immunolabelling of ectoplasmic specializations was studied over the background of either prosaposin or glutaredoxin immunolabelling of the Sertoli cytoplasm. Labelling was found near the basal lamina, surrounding early spermatocytes (presumably in leptotene-zygotene) or at one of two levels in the seminiferous epithelium: (1) around deep infoldings of the Sertoli cell cytoplasm, in tubular stages… More >

CRISTIAN ACOSTA, MABEL FÓSCOLO, JUAN CARLOS CAVICCHIA^*

BIOCELL, Vol.41, No.2-3, pp. 63-66, 2017, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2017.41.063

Abstract The testis is a double gland comprised of the sperm-producing seminiferous tubules and a complex endocrine interstice. The former structures generate and release whole cells (exocrine aspect of the gland) while the latter synthesize and release androgens and related hormones. The testis also has poorly understood paracrine connexions. These connexions play an important role during spermatogenesis. A key molecule within these structures is β-actin. Therefore, the present study aims at examining the expression pattern of β-actin during the various stages of the spermatic cycle in the rat. To achieve this goal, we used a combination of trans-illumination assisted microdissection of… More >