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Glycan composition of follicle (Sertoli) cells of the amphibian Pleurodeles waltl. A lectin histochemical study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2001

FRANCISCO JOSÉ SÁEZ
Affiliation:
University of the Basque Country, Department of Cell Biology and Morphological Sciences, Leioa (Vizcaya)
JUAN FRANCISCO MADRID
Affiliation:
University of the Basque Country, Department of Cell Biology and Morphological Sciences, Leioa (Vizcaya)
EDURNE ALONSO
Affiliation:
University of the Basque Country, Department of Cell Biology and Morphological Sciences, Leioa (Vizcaya)
FRANCISCO HERNÁNDEZ
Affiliation:
University of Murcia, Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Espinardo (Murcia), Spain
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Abstract

The glycan composition of the N- and O-linked oligosaccharides of the follicle (Sertoli) cells of the urodele amphibian Pleurodeles waltl testis were identified by lectin histochemistry, performed alone or in combination with enzymatic and chemical deglycosylation methods. The follicle cells were shown to contain: (1) Fuc, Galβ(1,4)GlcNAc, GalNAc and Neu5Acα(2,3)Galβ(1,4)GlcNAc in both N- and O-linked oligosaccharides; (2) Man in N-linked glycans; and (3) Galβ(1,3)GalNAc in O-linked sugar chains. The follicle cells at the pre- and postmeiotic stages showed some differences in the UEA-I-positive Fuc characterisation, suggesting differences in the glycan composition. In addition, the sequence Neu5Acα(2,6)Gal/GalNAc was shown in the follicle cells only after spermiation, in the sperm-empty lobules of the developing glandular tissue. These results suggest that the follicle cells modify their glycoprotein content, probably for the performance of new roles, as the spermatogenetic cells develop. Thus the follicle cells surrounding male germ cells at different spermatogenetic stages would contain different glycoproteins involved in specific roles during male germ cell proliferation and maturation.

Type
Papers
Copyright
© Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2001

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