PUBLICATION

Zebrafish primary testis tissue culture: an approach to study testis function ex vivo

Authors
Leal, M.C., de Waal, P.P., García-López, A., Chen, S.X., Bogerd, J., and Schulz, R.W.
ID
ZDB-PUB-090324-5
Date
2009
Source
General and comparative endocrinology   162(2): 134-138 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Bogerd, Jan
Keywords
Organ culture, Testis, Zebrafish, Spermatogenesis, Steroidogenesis
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Colforsin/pharmacology
  • Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism
  • Male
  • Spermatogenesis/drug effects
  • Testis/cytology
  • Testis/drug effects
  • Testis/physiology*
  • Testosterone/analogs & derivatives
  • Testosterone/pharmacology
  • Tissue Culture Techniques*
  • Zebrafish*
PubMed
19298819 Full text @ Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.
Abstract
To develop new tools to study the regulation of testis physiology in teleost fish, a medium-term ex vivo organ culture system was adopted for zebrafish testis tissue. The addition of 100 nM 11-ketotestosterone to the system supported complete spermatogenesis, as determined by morphological, molecular and immunohistochemical analyses. Under basal conditions, however, the development of differentiated spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids was seriously disturbed, probably related to the rapid (within 2 days) down-regulation of the steroidogenic system. Forskolin (0.5 muM) stimulated acute androgen release from freshly removed tissue and partially prevented down-regulation of the steroidogenic system. The present ex vivo culture system can serve as a tool to evaluate effects of a wide range of substances on the two main functions of the testis, spermatogenesis and hormone production.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping