Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques
Naturally occurring heavy metals and synthetic compounds are potentially harmful for testicular function but evidence linking heavy metal exposure to reduced semen parameters is inconclusive. Elucidation of the exact stage at which the toxicant interferes with spermatogenesis is difficult because th...
Published in: | Cell and Tissue Research |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Springer Verlag
2006
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2747 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 |
id |
ftunivpretoria:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/2747 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivpretoria:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/2747 2023-05-15T18:51:08+02:00 Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques McClusky, Leon M. 2006-04-05 663011 bytes application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2747 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 en eng Springer Verlag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2747 McClusky, LM 2006, ‘Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques’, Cell and Tissue Research, vol. 325, no. 3, pp. 541-553. [http://springerlink.metapress.com/content/100524/] 0302-766X (Print) 1432-0878 (Online) doi:10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 Original publication is available at www.springerlink.com Germ cell apoptosis Cadmium Acridine orange Blood-testis barrier Dogfish shark Squalus acanthias (Elasmobranchii) Germ cells Spiny dogfish Vertebrates Somatic cells Spermatogenesis Postprint Article 2006 ftunivpretoria https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 2022-05-31T13:29:44Z Naturally occurring heavy metals and synthetic compounds are potentially harmful for testicular function but evidence linking heavy metal exposure to reduced semen parameters is inconclusive. Elucidation of the exact stage at which the toxicant interferes with spermatogenesis is difficult because the various germ cell stages may have different sensitivities to any given toxicant, germ cell development is influenced by supporting testicular somatic cells and the presence of inter-Sertoli cell tight junctions create a blood-testis barrier, sequestering meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells in a special microenvironment. Sharks such as Squalus acanthias provide a suitable model for studying aspects of vertebrate spermatogenosis because of their unique features: spermatogenesis takes place within spermatocysts and relies mainly on Sertoli cells for somatic cell support; spermatocysts are linearly arranged in a maturational order across the diameter of the elongated testis; spermatocysts containing germ cells at different stages of development are topographically separated, resulting in visible zonation in testicular cross sections. We have used the vital dye acridine orange and a novel fluorescence staining technique to study this model to determine (1) the efficacy of these methods in assays of apoptosis and blood-testis barrier function, (2) the sensitivity of the various spermatogonial generations in Squalus to cadmium (as an illustrative spermatotoxicant) and (3) the way that cadmium might affect more mature spermatogenic stages and other physiological processes in the testis. Our results show that cadmium targets early spermatogenic stages, where it specifically activates a cell death program in susceptible (mature) spermatogonial clones, and negatively affects blood-testis barrier function. Since other parameters are relatively unaffected by cadmium, the effects of this toxicant on apoptosis are presumably process-specific and not attributable to general toxicity. Article in Journal/Newspaper spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias University of Pretoria: UPSpace Cell and Tissue Research 325 3 541 553 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Pretoria: UPSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpretoria |
language |
English |
topic |
Germ cell apoptosis Cadmium Acridine orange Blood-testis barrier Dogfish shark Squalus acanthias (Elasmobranchii) Germ cells Spiny dogfish Vertebrates Somatic cells Spermatogenesis |
spellingShingle |
Germ cell apoptosis Cadmium Acridine orange Blood-testis barrier Dogfish shark Squalus acanthias (Elasmobranchii) Germ cells Spiny dogfish Vertebrates Somatic cells Spermatogenesis McClusky, Leon M. Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
topic_facet |
Germ cell apoptosis Cadmium Acridine orange Blood-testis barrier Dogfish shark Squalus acanthias (Elasmobranchii) Germ cells Spiny dogfish Vertebrates Somatic cells Spermatogenesis |
description |
Naturally occurring heavy metals and synthetic compounds are potentially harmful for testicular function but evidence linking heavy metal exposure to reduced semen parameters is inconclusive. Elucidation of the exact stage at which the toxicant interferes with spermatogenesis is difficult because the various germ cell stages may have different sensitivities to any given toxicant, germ cell development is influenced by supporting testicular somatic cells and the presence of inter-Sertoli cell tight junctions create a blood-testis barrier, sequestering meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells in a special microenvironment. Sharks such as Squalus acanthias provide a suitable model for studying aspects of vertebrate spermatogenosis because of their unique features: spermatogenesis takes place within spermatocysts and relies mainly on Sertoli cells for somatic cell support; spermatocysts are linearly arranged in a maturational order across the diameter of the elongated testis; spermatocysts containing germ cells at different stages of development are topographically separated, resulting in visible zonation in testicular cross sections. We have used the vital dye acridine orange and a novel fluorescence staining technique to study this model to determine (1) the efficacy of these methods in assays of apoptosis and blood-testis barrier function, (2) the sensitivity of the various spermatogonial generations in Squalus to cadmium (as an illustrative spermatotoxicant) and (3) the way that cadmium might affect more mature spermatogenic stages and other physiological processes in the testis. Our results show that cadmium targets early spermatogenic stages, where it specifically activates a cell death program in susceptible (mature) spermatogonial clones, and negatively affects blood-testis barrier function. Since other parameters are relatively unaffected by cadmium, the effects of this toxicant on apoptosis are presumably process-specific and not attributable to general toxicity. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McClusky, Leon M. |
author_facet |
McClusky, Leon M. |
author_sort |
McClusky, Leon M. |
title |
Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
title_short |
Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
title_full |
Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
title_fullStr |
Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
title_sort |
stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques |
publisher |
Springer Verlag |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2747 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 |
genre |
spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias |
genre_facet |
spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/2747 McClusky, LM 2006, ‘Stage-dependency of apoptosis and the blood-testis barrier in the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias): cadmium-induced changes as assessed by vital fluorescence techniques’, Cell and Tissue Research, vol. 325, no. 3, pp. 541-553. [http://springerlink.metapress.com/content/100524/] 0302-766X (Print) 1432-0878 (Online) doi:10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 |
op_rights |
Original publication is available at www.springerlink.com |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-006-0184-6 |
container_title |
Cell and Tissue Research |
container_volume |
325 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
541 |
op_container_end_page |
553 |
_version_ |
1766244929268350976 |