Modification Of Rat Testis Carbohydrate Determinants In PostnatalMorphogenesis As Detected By Lectin Probes

Abstract

A panel of 15 peroxidase labeled lectins, supplemented with haematoxylin-eosin staining and PAS-reaction, were used to study modifications of carbohydrates in rat testis during postnatal morphogenesis, including prenatal day 20th, postnatal days 1st, 20th, 40th, in comparison to the adult rat testis. Tissue samples were fixed in Bouin’s fluid and embedded in paraffin. Lectin panel included Con A, PSA, GNA, NPA, PNA, VAA, PIFA, CNFA, CCRA, SBA, HPA, MPFA, WGA, SNA and LABA. It was detected that postnatal morphogenesis of rat testis is accompanied by active glycoconjugates rearrangement. In late prenatal and early postnatal development most intense lectin labeling was characteristic for fetal Leydig cells, number of which reduced significantly on the 1st postnatal day. Highest selectivity of these cells binding was documented with PSA, GNA and NPA. On postnatal day 20th was detected strong reactivity of developing spermatocytes with PSA, CNFA, HPA and WGA, and to a lesser extent– with other used lectins. This lectin binding increased on the postnatal day 40th, covering all subsets of multilayered spermatogenic epithelium in within the seminiferous tubules. Since postnatal day 40th onwards granule- and capstage pro-acrosomes, early and late acrosomes demonstrated strong reactivity with PNA, VAA, SBA, HPA, CNFA and SNA; most selective acrosomes labeling was detected with PNA and SBA. Majority of used lectins strongly reacted with glycoconjugate deposits, located in the adlumenal compartments of seminiferous tubules. Three original lectin preparartions (LABA, MPFA, PIFA) proved to be useful tools in andrology research.