Journal of Andrology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ramirez, R.
Right arrow Articles by Santamaria, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ramirez, R.
Right arrow Articles by Santamaria, L.

Journal of Andrology, Vol 20, Issue 6 702-712, Copyright © 1999 by The American Society of Andrology

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Changes in the number, proliferation rates, and bcl-2 protein immunoexpression of epithelial and periductal cells from rat epididymis during postnatal development

R. Ramirez, R. Martin, J. J. Martin, J. R. Ramirez, R. Paniagua and L. Santamaria
Department of Morphology, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain.

To investigate 1) the correlation between the proliferative activity of epididymal epithelium plus myoid cells and the increase in the number of these cells and 2) the role of the basal epithelial cells in the renewal of epididymal epithelium, a quantitative evaluation of the proliferation of both epithelial cells and periductal myoid cells in the different epididymal regions (caput, corpus, and cauda) has been carried out during postnatal development of the rat by immunohistochemical evaluation of BrdU-labeling indices. These data were correlated with cell numbers and counted by the optical dissector method. The presence of bcl-2 protein was immunohistochemically detected and evaluated. No significant differences in BrdU indices were observed among epididymal regions in any stage studied. Cell proliferation decreased from the prepubertal period to adulthood in both epithelial and myoid cells in the three regions of the epididymis, suggesting a close relationship between epithelial and mesenchymal components. The numbers of both cell types were significantly higher in the caput than in the corpus and cauda in all stages studied, suggesting functional differences between regions. A negative linear correlation between proliferative activity and cell numbers was noted that might be related to regulation of the cell population size. Basal cells showed a lower proliferation rate than principal cells, but most of the immunoreactive bcl-2 protein, in pubertal and adult epididymides, was observed in basal cells. Therefore, these cells might comprise a low-proliferating and apoptosis-resistant population.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 EndocrinologyHome page
D. A. Pujianto, A. E. Damdimopoulos, P. Sipila, J. Jalkanen, I. Huhtaniemi, and M. Poutanen
Bfk, a Novel Member of the Bcl2 Gene Family, Is Highly Expressed in Principal Cells of the Mouse Epididymis and Demonstrates a Predominant Nuclear Localization
Endocrinology, July 1, 2007; 148(7): 3196 - 3204.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 EndocrinologyHome page
N. Atanassova, C. McKinnell, K. Williams, K. J. Turner, J. S. Fisher, P. T. K. Saunders, M. R. Millar, and R. M. Sharpe
Age-, Cell- and Region-Specific Immunoexpression of Estrogen Receptor {{alpha}} (But Not Estrogen Receptor {beta}) during Postnatal Development of the Epididymis and Vas Deferens of the Rat and Disruption of This Pattern by Neonatal Treatment with Diethylstilbestrol
Endocrinology, February 1, 2001; 142(2): 874 - 886.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1999 by The American Society of Andrology.