Inaug.-Diss.--Berlin. / At head of title; Aus der chirugischen abteilung des krankenhauses "Am urban" zu Berlin (Direktor: prof. dr. Gohrbandt). Lebenslauf. "Literaturangabe": p. [57]-58.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Biological Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Orientador: Rosicleire Veríssimo Silveira / Banca: Cristiele da Silva Ribeiro / Banca: George Shigueti Yasui / Resumo: Em teleósteos, a utilização de transplante de espermatogônias tronco está criando um cenário novo e promissor na área de biotecnologia e produção em aquicultura, possibilitando a preservação de espécies em perigo de extinção. Esta técnica consiste na remoção de células tronco espermatogoniais do testículo de um animal doador e a sua transferência para o testículo de um receptor. Para garantir a eficiência desta técnica o receptor deve ter sua espermatogênese endógena suprimida, pois a eficiência do transplante depende do sucesso na competição entre células germinativas transplantadas e células germinativas endógenas nos túbulos seminíferos. Este estudo teve por objetivo promover experimentalmente a depleção da espermatogênese endógena de Devario aequipinnatus, por meio da droga quimioterápica Myleran (Busulfan) e sua associação com a temperatura de 30°C. Foram definidas quatro fases de maturação gonadal para o ciclo testicular de D. aequipinnatus: Maturação Inicial, Maturação Intermediária, Maturação Final e Regressão, essas definições tiveram como base as alterações do epitélio germinativo testicular associado aos estágios das células germinativas presentes. Para depleção foram testadas duas dosagens, no T15/18 foram aplicadas duas injeções, via intracelomática, com intervalo de 10 dias entre as mesmas, sendo a primeira dose de 15 mg kg -1 Myleran (Busulfan) e a segunda com 18 mg kg -1 de Myleran. No T40 foi aplicado somente uma injeção contendo 40 mg kg -1 de Myleran (Busulfan). Como grupo controle foi utilizado uma unidade experimental sem a inclusão de qualquer tipo de droga, em que os animais permaneceram sob as mesmas condições de temperatura, alimentação e fotoperíodo oferecidas para os animais utilizados dos tratamentos. O T15/18 e o T40 apresentaram uma redução significativa na quantidade de Espermatócitos e consequentemente um aumento na quantidade de lúmen... / Abstract: In teleosts, the use of spermatogonial stem transplant is creating a new and promising scenario in the area of biotechnology and aquaculture production, enabling the preservation of species in danger of extinction. This technique involves the removal of spermatogonial stem cells of the testis of a donor animal and its transfer to the testicle of a receiver. To ensure the efficiency of this technique the receiver shall have its endogenous spermatogenesis deleted because the transplant efficiency depends on the success in the competition between transplanted germ cells and endogenous germ cells in the seminiferous tubules. This study aimed to experimentally promote depletion of endogenous spermatogenesis Devario aequipinnatus through the chemotherapy drug Myleran (Busulfan) and its association with the temperature 30 ° C. Maturation of four phases have been defined for testicular cycle D. aequipinnatus: Maturation Home, Intermediate maturation, maturation and Final Regression, these definitions were based on the changes of the testicular germinal epithelium associated with the stages of germ cells present. For depletion two doses were tested in the T15 / 18 were applied two injections via intracelomic with an interval of 10 days between them, the first dose of 15 mg kg-1 Myleran (Busulfan) and second with 18 mg kg- 1 Myleran. T40 was applied only in an injection containing 40 mg kg-1 Myleran (Busulfan). The control group was used an experimental unit without the inclusion of any type of drug, where the animals were kept under the same conditions of temperature, photoperiod and food offered to the animals used treatments. The T15 / 18 and T40 showed a significant reduction in the number of spermatocytes and consequently an increase in the amount tubular lumen in the testes of the animals examined. Three days after application of Busulfan for both single dose and double dose of Busulfan for an increase in pyknosis in spermatogonia ... / Mestre

Abstract not available

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-107). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-107). Also available on the Internet.

　　Vad1.3 is an evolutionarily-conserved, testis-specific gene identified from a retinol-treated Vitamin A-deficiency (VAD) rat model. VAD1.3 is expressed throughout spermiogenesis at the acrosome of spermatids and epididymal spermatozoa, suggesting a role in acrosome biogenesis or acrosome reaction. The present study aimed to explore the functional role of VAD1.3 in spermatogenesis and sperm functions by the cellular and gene-knockout approaches. 　　Double immunofluorescent microscopy confirmed the co-localization of VAD1.3 and syntaxin 1 in mouse spermatids and spermatozoa. Deletion analysis of the Vad1.3 gene in transfected mouse spermatocyte GC2-spd and human cervical cancer HeLa cells revealed a polarized peri-nuclear/Golgi expression pattern for the N-terminal GFP-VAD fusion proteins which contain a bipartite nucleus localization (BNL) motif, but a nuclear expression pattern for the C-terminal GFP-VAD. The N-terminal sequences of VAD1.3 mediated its interaction with syntaxin 1, as demonstrated by both co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation studies. The full-length GFP-VAD co-localized with the Golgi markers and was redistributed into the endoplasmic reticulum after brefeldin A treatment, suggesting that VAD1.3 was recruited through the ER-Golgi-acrosome pathway. 　　Vad1.3+/- mice was previously generated by the conventional knockout approach. The heterozygous mice had normal spermatogenesis during postnatal days and adulthood (6-8 weeks). At the age of 8-19 months, 6 out of 17 heterozygous mice but no wild-type exhibited a decrease in the epididymal sperm count and testicular weight (p < 0.05). Histological analyses unveiled disarrangement of the seminiferous epithelium and sloughing of germ cells, predominantly spermatids, which was mediated partially by apoptosis as a higher percentage of TUNEL-positive cells were detected in these heterozygous mice (p < 0.05). This phenotype was associated with a decrease in the mRNA (p < 0.05) and protein levels of VAD1.3 in the testis. 　　Crossing of the Vad1.3+/- mice produced wild-type and heterozygous offspring in a ratio of 1:3, but no Vad1.3-/- mice were found. There was no significant difference between the heterozygous intercrosses and the wild-type intercrosses in the number of oocytes ovulated, the developmental rate of embryos from zygotes to blastocysts, the number of implantation site, resorption site or the offspring could result from defective fertilization between Vad1.3 null gametes rather than developmental lethality. The role of VAD1.3 in fertilization was supported by the inhibitory effects of the anti-VAD1.3 antibody on in vitro fertilization and progesterone-induced acrosome reaction. Immuno-staining revealed that VAD1.3 was present in the acrosome-intact spermatozoa but not in acrosome-reacted spermatozoa, indicating a role of VAD1.3 in ZP-binding or acrosome reaction rather than sperm-egg fusion. In oocytes VAD1.3 was distributed in the cytoplasm near the cortex. litter size. Only a few Vad1.3-/- embryos were found at the zygotic (3.7%) and 2-cell (3%) stages in the heterozygous intercrosses. These findings suggested that the absence of the Vad1.3-/- 　　In sum, VAD1.3 may play important roles in fertilization and spermatogenesis in mice. The BNL motif of VAD1.3 directs its Golgi expression and the N-terminal sequence of the protein mediates its interaction with syntaxin 1. The use of tissue-specific knockout approach may help to answer the functional role of VAD1.3 in future. / published_or_final_version / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

 In rat testes, at stage VIII of the epithelial cycle of spermatogenesis, two cellular events, namely blood-testis barrier (BTB) restructuring and spermiation, take place simultaneously but at the opposite ends of the seminiferous epithelium. BTB is constituted by tight junctions (TJs), basal ectoplasmic specializations (ES), gap junctions and desmosomes, which must disassemble intermittently at stage VIII to facilitate preleptotene spermatocyte migration across the barrier. Synchronously, spermiation occurs at the luminal edge of the tubule lumen, involving the disruption of the apical ES, the only anchoring device there, and the release of sperm. The mechanism coordinating these events is not well understood. In this dissertation, I provide evidence that intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and -2, are working in concert with sarcoma (Src) family kinases to regulate these events. ICAMs comprise an immunoglobulin subfamily of cell adhesion proteins expressed by hematopoietic, endothelial and epithelial cells. They are known to function in the transendothelial migration of leukocytes. In the rat testis, ICAM-1 was shown to localize to both BTB and apical ES stage-specifically, with its immunoreactivity highest at stage VIII at the BTB. Besides co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization with BTB proteins, such as occludin and N-cadherin, ICAM-1 was found to promote BTB integrity in that its over-expression (O-E) in Sertoli cells in vitro increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). However, O-E of a truncated form of ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) that only consisted of the extracellular domain resulted in decreased TER and down-regulation of several BTB constituent proteins, possibly via the Src/Pyk2 signaling pathway. O-E of sICAM-1 in vivo also compromised the BTB integrity. These findings illustrate that ICAM-1 is an important regulator of the BTB. On the other hand, the localization of ICAM-2 was restricted to the Sertoli-germ cell interface and absent from the BTB, and associated with β1-integrin, nectin-3 and F-actin at the apical ES. Further, ICAM-2 was shown to interact with Src and Pyk2, as well as annexin II, a phospholipid-binding protein. Intriguingly, ICAM-2, Src and annexin II were specifically up-regulated during CdCl2-induced germ cell loss. These results reveal that ICAM-2 actively participates in the restructuring of apical ES based on studies using the cadmium model. The function of c-Yes, a member of the Src family, was also investigated. It was found to be stage-specifically expressed at the BTB and the apical ES, and it structurally associated with BTB components (e.g., occludin and N-cadherin) and with the apical ES proteins (e.g., β1-integrin, laminin β3 and γ3). In the study, the knockdown of c-Yes by RNAi in vitro and in vivo affected BTB and apical ES function, causing changes in the distribution/localization of adhesion proteins at the BTB and the apical ES, inducing germ cell loss from the seminiferous epithelium, possibly via an interference with the F-actin network. These findings implicate that ICAMs and c-Yes are regulatory molecules of cell adhesion at the BTB and the apical ES, and are biomarkers for male contraceptive development. / published_or_final_version / Biological Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Drosophila Lasp contains a LIM domain, two nebulin repeats, and a SH3 domain, and exhibits high homology with mammalian Lasp family proteins. Vertebrate Lasp localizes to focal adhesions and to the leading edge of migrating cells and binds filamentous actin. To investigate Drosophila Lasp in vivo, we generated a Lasp null mutant, named Laspl, and showed that Laspl is male sterile. We observed two major functions of Lasp during Drosophila spermatogenesis. First, in the stem cell niche, hub cells fail to localize to the apical end of Drosophila testis in Laspl mutant. Hub cell anchoring is dependent on cell adhesion between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), which is mediated by integrins. Lasp genetically interacts with betaPS integrin showing complete hub cell mislocalization. This indicates that Lasp is involved in an integrin-dependent process. However, hub cell anchoring is not required for fertility or stem cell maintenance. Secondly, we observe that actin cones, a unique actin structure during spermatid individualization, are perturbed in Laspl. Our data for Lasp expression in actin cones and incomplete individualization indicate that Lasp may play a role in tethering actin to the plasma membrane.