The influence of thymectomy on Germ-cells of the testis in mice

Abstract

We performed thymectomy on the immature and mature male mice and made a quantitative assay of various germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium in the testis with Image Analyser System 35 days following thymectomy. The results indicated that as compared with the control group, all germ cells of the spermatogenesis lineage decreased in the immature group and in the mature group after thymectomy. The present study showed that thymus and its hormone stimulated not only the mitotic division, but also the meiotic division of germ cells during spermatogenesis, suggesting that thymus-sexual axis may play an important role in the process of spermatogensis in the testis.

Keywords

thymectomy / division / spermatogenesis / testis / morphometic analysis

References

[1] GrosmannC J. Interaction between the gonadal steroids and the immune. Science, 1985, 227: 257-257

[2] Ignat’evaE V, ChesnokovaV M, IunkerV M, et al.. Effect of thymosin (fraction 5) on the development of functional activity of the a-drenalsand gonads in genetically athymic mice. Probl Endocrinol MOSK, 1988, 34: 83-83

[3] NazR K, NaylorP H, GoldsteinA L. Thymosin₀₁ level in human seminal plasma and follicular fluid; implication in germ cell function. Int JFertil, 1987, 32: 375-375

[4] PederneraE, DiazOsuna J, CalcagnoM A. Thymus factor influence the in vitro testosterone secretion of Leydig cells in the rat. Life Science, 1986, 38: 779-779

[5] ChesnokovaV M, GrutenkoE V, IvanovaL N, et al.. Evidence for thymus involvement in development of adrenal and gonadal endocrine functions in mice. Endocrinol EXP, 1987, 21: 133-133

[6] NazR K, KaplanP, GlodsteinA L. Thymosin₀₁ enhances the fertilizing. Capacity of human sperm cell: implication in diagnosis and treatment of male infertility. Biol Reprod, 1992, 47: 1064-1064

[7] ZengJ, ZhangY S, ZhuangQ Y. Effect of thymosin on the secretion of the sexual hormone in rats with experimentalvaricocele. J Tongji Med Uni, 1993, 13: 40-40

[8] HallN R, O’GradyM P, MenziesR. Thymic regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadalaxis. Int J Immunopharmacol, 1992, 14: 353-353

[9] ChesnokovaV M, Ignat’evaE V, IvanovaL N. Effect of thymosin (fraction 5) on the endocrine function of the testis in mice. Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1988, 106: 493-493

[10] RebarR, MorandiniI C, PetzeM, et al.. Hormonal basis of reproductive defects in athymic mice: reduced gonadotropins and testosterone in males. Biol Reprod, 1982, 27: 1267-1267