Abstract
The aim of this work was to study, by immunoprecipitation, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, and the expression of the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and of its receptors (VPAC(1)R and VPAC(2)R) in the testis of a nonmammalian vertebrate, the cartilaginous fish Torpedo marmorata. We demonstrated that, differently from mammals, VIP and VPAC(2)R were widely distributed in the testicular cells while the VPAC(1)R had a limited distribution. In details, we showed that VIP and VPAC(2)R were present in mitotic and differentiating germ cells as well as in the cells involved in the steroidogenesis, i.e., Leydig, Sertoli cells, and prespermatogonia and spermatogonia. The possibility that VIP is involved in the spermatogenesis and particularly in the steroidogenesis of T. marmorata is discussed.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Gene Expression
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Immunoenzyme Techniques
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In Situ Hybridization
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Leydig Cells / metabolism
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Male
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RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II / biosynthesis*
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II / genetics
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I / biosynthesis*
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I / genetics
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Sertoli Cells / metabolism
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Spermatogenesis / physiology
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Spermatogonia / metabolism
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Steroids / biosynthesis
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Testis / metabolism*
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Torpedo / genetics
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Torpedo / metabolism*
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Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / biosynthesis*
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Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / genetics
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Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / physiology
Substances
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RNA, Messenger
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Type II
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Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, Type I
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Steroids
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Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide