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. 2018 Mar 30;80(3):549-552.
doi: 10.1292/jvms.17-0531. Epub 2018 Jan 29.

Immunohistochemical localization of inhibin/activin subunits in adult Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) testes

Sirinart Chaichanathong  1   2   3 , Kasuyoshi Taya  4 , Gen Watanabe  4   5 , Kentaro Nagaoka  4   5 , Worawidh Wajjwalku  3 , Apichaya Sudsukh  6 , Nikorn Thongtip  1   7
Affiliations

Immunohistochemical localization of inhibin/activin subunits in adult Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) testes

Sirinart Chaichanathong et al. J Vet Med Sci. .

Abstract

Immunolocalization of inhibin-α and inhibin/activin βA and βB subunits in the testes of Asian elephant was determined. Testicular sections were immunostained with polyclonal antisera against inhibin subunit-α and inhibin/activin βA and βB using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Positive immunostaining against inhibin-α subunit was strongly present in Sertoli cells, and positive immunostaining for the inhibin/activin βA and βB subunits was observed in both Sertoli and Leydig cells. These results indicated that while Sertoli cells are the predominant source of inhibin and activin secretions in the testes of adult male Asian elephant, Leydig cells are a source of activin but not inhibin.

Keywords: Asian elephant; Leydig cell; Sertoli cell; immunohistochemistry; inhibin/activin subunits.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Histological observation and immunohistochemical localization of inhibin/activin subunits in an Asian elephant’s testes. Different stages of spermatogenic cells were observed in the seminiferous tubule (A). Positive immunostaining of the inhibin-α subunit was detected in Sertoli cells (B). In addition, positive immunostainings against the inhibin/activin βA and βB subunits were observed in both the Sertoli and Leydig cells (C and D, respectively). No immunostaining was detected in the control testicular tissue stained with normal rabbit serum (E). The scale bars represent 50 µm. SC: Sertoli cells; LC: Leydig cells; SPC: spermatocytes; rSPD: round spermatids; eSPD: elongated spermatids.
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